


Even When Unexpected

by seestar2



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Disease, Family Drama, Geniuses, Kidnapping, Magic, Mpreg, Multi, Set in both New York and Alicante, parentfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-08
Updated: 2013-06-16
Packaged: 2017-11-20 15:15:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 87,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/586768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seestar2/pseuds/seestar2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What's your last name?" Alec asked the frightened girl. She still wouldn't meet his eyes.<br/>   "I don't know."</p>
<p>   Bay had just turned seven when she over heard a conversation she wasn't supposed to. Her parents weren't dead, and  the man she would call her dad was in Alicante. She realizes the men she called her tutors controlled her life more than she bothered to notice. She decides to start an investigation to find the man named Alec Lightwood. With a genius brain like hers, how hard could it be? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sequel to It Happens.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The prequel to this is on Fanfiction.net. I decided not to post it on Ao3, one because it sucks and two, because somethings are different then what I wrote in It Happens. Like Magnus is mortal instead of Alec turning immortal.

A man dressed in black entered an ornate room. In his arms was a small baby, her eyes squeezed tight as she cried. Two guards lead him down a hallway inscribed with swirling black designs on the wooden walls. He tried shushing her, but she wouldn't stop her cries. By the time the men and infant made it outside an elegant wooden door, he had tried every tactic he could think of. In the end he just put his hand over her mouth again. The guards opened the door to a good sized room. There was a long table in the center, but the people in the room were not sitting. The man walked over to them.

"I have brought her, sir." He said to the new inquisitor. Said man walked over to inspect the rare baby as he played with the hairs of his brown peppered beard.

"Take your hand of its mouth, Kadir. We don't want it to choke it." Kadir did as he was told, and took his hand off her mouth. "Is it male or female?" He questioned. The inquisitor lifted the corners of the black blanket the baby was wrapped in.

"Female, Roderick. She was born this afternoon my sources tell me."

The inquisitor Roderick lifted her inspecting her more."You are certain of this?"

"Yes. Alexander Lightwood has been watched ever since I overheard his confession to his mother. He was reported collapsing in an alley, I believe, before portaling back to his flat. Where a witch dressed in a nurse's uniform was seen entering then leave some time later. She was born somewhere between 1:45 and 2:30."

"With the time difference, she's about…"Roderick did the math in his head. "Seven hours old. You took her early that night, why?"

"They had gone to bed early, sir, I figured taking her early would give me more of a chance that see wouldn't wake them with her crying." Kadir had to speak louder to be heard over the baby's screams.

"Is there anything obviously wrong with her?" Asked one of the four other men standing in this party.

"Not that I can tell, Arthur." Informed Kadir.

"What's her sire's mark?" Asked another.

"Cat eyes." Answered the inquisitor, "She won't open her eyes for me to see if she has the mark, though."

Barely audibly above the infant's cries, was the sound of someone yelling behind the closed doors at the other end of the room. A scared guard opened the door. He was looking anywhere but at the angry young woman.

"You berk!" She yelled in her cockney accent, "You wake me up at this god forsaken hour, make yourself appear to be in on it all, like you're important to whatever reason, then when we arrive here and I ask why I am needed, and you tell me the same bloody thing you did at my home. 'Some council members have requested an audience with you'," She acted like him when repeating what he had said earlier, "You don't know a damn thing. If you would just pay attention to the things around you, maybe you'd get a higher rank then door guarder who bangs on other peoples doors at three o'clock in the mornin'!" She stormed by him into the room, quickly controlling her angry to annoyed, but calm. Even in a sweat shirt and jeans, she looked regal when she approached the council members.

"Sarah, good to see you're in a good mood." Said the inquisitor.

"Next time I'm wanted, get a person with half a brain." Sarah's voice changed from that of her childhood to the one she had acquired over years of speaking with the top scholars of England. She rarely used her old accent except when mad. "Now, why am I here? It must be important to wake me from my sleep, while you're here playing house with a baby." She sat down at the end of the table. Sarah put her chin on her fist. "Which one of you is the mommy?"

"That's why you're here, Miss." Kadir said with an air of annoyance," She has no mother. Never has."

"We are both people of intellect. You know as well as I do that your last statement was scientifically wrong."

Arthur stepped forward. "A mother would have to be a woman. This infant was not born from a woman but from a man."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, "Arthur, I believe you have finally lost it."

"Mathew." The inquisitor called to one of the men. The dark skinned man came forward, and dropped a yellow folder on the carved table. Sarah opened it, and flipped through the pages absentmindedly."That man- Alexander Lightwood- Is this child's 'mother'."

Sarah flipped back to the first page, looking more closely at it this time, before shutting it. She stood, and walked over to the child. Taking the infant from Roderick, she made a show of supporting the baby's head. She walked over to Kadir before grabbing the blanket out of his hands. "Are you trying to give her a catch of cold? Honestly, gentlemen, Babies need to be kept warm. How old is she anyway? She has to be less than a day old." She calmed the baby so she wasn't crying. Kadir gave her a dark look.

"She's seven hours old." Informed Roderick.

"Seven hours old!" she said incredulously, "why aren't her parents here? Why am I here?

"You're here for repentance." Arthur said.

Sarah's back instantly stiffened, "For what?" She asked even though she knew damn well why. She didn't know she had gotten caught. After awhile with no suspicion being sent her way, she figured she had gotten away with it.

"You know damn well what you did. Somehow getting around the guards and stealing supplies from the science department of The Academy." Said Roderick, "You would be arrested when we found out about your little escapade had it not been for that baby on your arms."

"How did you figure that out?"

"Some people saw you coming and going during the time the supplies were stolen."

Sarah's gaze turned cold. "Those idiots don't get the importance of science, past how the body moves when you stab a demon. I needed those supplies to help my research on anti-gravity. I would have brought them back, but what does she have to do with anything?" Her eyes caught a glint at the baby's ankle before she wrapped her up. She, being as observant as she was, noticed the work that went into making this anklet. The gems were shiny from frequent touch, and real too. So her parents must have some money. It was made by hand, not a skilled one at that, but you could tell by the way the metal hooks were disfigured. Someone had put a lot of effort into this little project. Someone must really love her. Sarah thought with slight longing. She had never had a real family when she was still a child herself, just her grandmother, who didn't look after Sarah as much as she looked after her. It wasn't until age thirteen when she got accepted to a special boarding school for above average students did her love of learning start to take effect. Before she knew it she was graduating with highest honors at her hometown college Oxford. Sarah was now in Idris deciding what government program or college she wanted to work for. She wasn't much of a fighter.

"You're the person we want to take care of her," said Roderick.

Sarah's head snapped up. "I am not the motherly type, Gentlemen. Other than her being a get out of jail free card, why would I want to take care of her? I don't coddle children like ninety percent of mothers this day and age. Pathetic, really, how children have dominance over their parents."

"Which is precisely why we need you. We don't want a motherly type. We want someone to bring her up while we tutor her. Make sure she has food to eat, and clean clothes that fit her. While we see what she is able of accomplishing."

"Why?"

"She's different," interrupted Kadir.

Sarah finished wrapping the baby apparently named Bay in the blanket. "Other than the part where her mother is male, or is there something else?" Bay opened her tear filled eyes. The young lady flinched a little in surprise. "She's not full nephilim, is she?"

"How did you come to that conclusion?" Questioned Arthur, while he scratched his gray/white hair.

"Look at her eyes." All five men and one woman looked into this little girl's fearful eyes. Her eyes had taken shape of a cat's golden green eyes. They watched as they slowly started changing colors. They lost their gold, and then melted into turquoise, then light blue, then their original deep shining blue, as she calmed. Her pupils returned to their circular shape. She fell swiftly asleep, nudging her head into the warm elbow of her holder.

Breaking the small silence, Sarah spoke, "Her… sire is a warlock, isn't he?"

Roderick nodded his head looking back up to Sarah. "A very powerful warlock."

"You want to study her and train her to be loyal to the clave. Maybe a use her as a spy or for her possible powers alone, or maybe a future diplomat between the children of Lilith and nephilim."

"Something like that," answered Kadir.

Arthur spoke-up, "These are your options: Have boarding free in the whole top floor of the Accords Hall, a monthly allowance, the job as head of the science department with its pay, and helping enrich a special child's life, or you can go to jail. Your choice."

Sarah looked back down at the sleeping baby in her arms, and sighed. If she didn't do it they wouldn't give her back. They'd probably make her do it, but with less to offer, or if they didn't make her, she'd go to jail. Their jails weren't the most humane jails, and the last place wanted was to go to jail. She hoped she was doing the right thing. "I accept."

o.O.o

Magnus woke up with this weird feeling that something was off, he couldn't think of anything, so he pushed it away. His beautiful angel was still sound asleep. He didn't blame him. That had to be exhausting for him. He couldn't believe that their baby was born yesterday. It had all seemed so surreal, the Seelie Queen had actually been right on that one thing, it was kind of beautiful in its own strange way. He couldn't help but smile at the memory of yesterday. Little Bay Lightwood was brought into this world, Alec had asked him to marry him, and his shadowhunter became immortal.

They'd probably wait a little while to get married till all the baby craziness had calmed down, but he couldn't care all that much. He'd soon get to be Mr. Alexander lightwood. Be Alec's husband, and he his. The thought of being someone's made him really happy. He'd always had people, but he never really was there's. Not like he was with Alec. He was Alexander's full-heartedly, and loved every minute of it.

The baby was asleep in the other room. That weird feeling came back again. It had to be almost noon by the way the sun shone threw his matching yellow curtains. He thought babies were supposed to wake you up in the middle of the night wanting to be fed or changed, but he didn't remember waking up, which he would have with his hearing. They had even joked about it the night before. She had to be hungry by now he thought.

With every step that feeling got worse and worse. The door was more open then he thought he had kept it. For some reason panic had ebbed its way inside him. The warlock half ran to the crib. He looked in and saw that it was empty. The panic intensified as he lifted the blankets, before turning to look around the room. Finding nothing, he ran into the living room. He looked under couches, behind the bar, the bathroom, and anything that could hold a small child, but he couldn't find her. Magnus glanced at the door. It was unlocked. His heart dropped right then and there.

A thousand thoughts ran thru his mind. Did he leave it unlocked- No he checked after his guests had left, and Alec had fallen asleep. Had one of Alec's family members come over, and were about to jump out saying 'you should have seen the look on your face!'? He would have killed them, no matter who they were. Then the worst one came into his head. Did someone come in, and take her? Had their secret not been secret enough? He knew Catarina wouldn't tell, or Isabelle and Jace. Maybe the red-head or her friend slipped-up. If they had they wouldn't see the light of day ever again. He didn't care who he had to hurt. He just wanted his baby back in his arms.

Magnus quickly opened the door to the landing, and looked around down the steps. He fought the urge to knock down the other tenant's doors, and search their homes. He ran up the steps and slammed the door closed before he opened his bedroom door. Alec appeared to have just woken. The shadowhunter did a double take when he saw his fiancé. Magnus had tears running down his face, and he was shaking. The worst thing was the expression on his face. It was filled with sadness, panic, worry, guilt, and unbridled fear.

"Magnus, what's wrong?"

"I-I can't find Bay."


	2. Chapter 2

Hidden in a secret room covered by shadows the only light coming from ceiling above lies a little girl. Her hair splayed around her head, framing her face like a pool of black ink. She stares at the lights. They twinkle in their own given right. Sometimes one of the millions of lights flash by, giving her a small burst of amazement, wonder, awe. She knows that stars don't shine in the confines of small dark rooms, but she can't find it in herself to care. The pale child doesn't doubt that the stars are heavens. By definition heaven is a place of great happiness, peace, tranquility. They gave her all that, and more.

This young being could tell you all the stories about the heavens. Why Castor and Pollux lived forever in the stars, and what fate beheld Orion to place him amongst figures noticed by the gods for their braveness, or beauty. These stories were taught to her before she could comprehend their meaning. They never left the crevasses of her mind, begging to be thought of, and be retold inside her imaginative little head. These stories, however gruesome a few were to a child of her age, brought her delight. They made her calm, a restful calm.

Restful was not what she was feeling anymore. That feeling had left her with the unwelcomed one. The one that happened every time she was here, but she never realized it till the calm turned into the storm. She started to hear the distant sound of scraping. Like an animal scratching wooden floor with its claws. The sound grew with every second that flew by. She didn't have to look to know that the noises were coming from behind the chipping, white door. Soon the screeching started. It was the most feral sound she had ever heard. No human or even animal could make something as terrifying as that noise. She knew what could, though. Demons. It was always demons; terrifying, bloody, monstrous demons.

Little pale fingers clasped over her ears with the intention to mute the sound, but as with the clawing, the screaming grew in volume. Her chest clenched as she heard the third faint noise. Steps. Her ears pricked every time shoes hit the floor. It didn't sound like they were stepping on wood. It sounded as though they were stepping on water. She regretfully lifted her head to see the door. Pooling underneath was blood. Ripples floated across after each step was taken. Every sense was on overload, the scratching, screaming, stepping sounds were immersing her very being into absolute fear.

The brass knob started turning slowly. Her head fell back on the floor. She ignored the pain it brought to hit the wooden floor. Her eyes squeezed shut with fearful anticipation. That's when the door squeaked open, causing all noises to amplify with the beating of her heart. She didn't scream until hands grasped onto her ankles, pulling her across the floor, and riding up her shirt; The old flooring scarring her back as she struggled. She dared to open her eyes, and see what she was about to meet. Behind the door was dark she could make out twisting shapes and glimpses of horrendous faces, of shiny, glowing, little eyes, and of teeth. Thousands of razor sharp teeth stood out from the shadows. The face of her attacker was a hidden blur. No real details could be brought to light. She felt blood touch her bare feet. Her throat let out more screams as her legs crossed the thresh hold. A demon jumped above her. Inches away from sinking his teeth into her soft flesh…

She woke-up gasping for air as she shot up in bed.

It was just a dream.

It was always just a dream.

Sarah her caretaker, though titles meant nothing to a seven year old, had told her that reoccurring dreams usually were your subconscious trying to tell you something. Bay fell back onto her bed. The sweating girl looked up at the glow-in-the-dark stars glued to her ceiling. That would explain why she was always lying in a room filled with stars, but not why she had to get dragged, or thrown, or picked up and walked out of the room into a mini hell. Most of the time dreams were memories just mixed up a bit. The same general idea was the main basis for them. She could never understand what it meant. Lying in a room filled with stars made sense. Her small frame slept under the star every night on her white, metal bed. Sarah had glued Glow-in-the-dark stars onto her ceiling when she had taken an interest in them when she was a toddler, but being taken out of her room made no sense. For as long she could remember, she had lived in this same room all her life. No memory came to mind about being dragged into some unpleasant.

She was momentarily blinded by a flash of light. It was Sarah coming in the room. She then realized that when she awoke she screamed. The woman, barely thirty years of age, walked over to sit on the bed.

"Bad dreams again?" She asked as she swept black hair from the child's sweaty forehead.

"Mhm. I was grabbed by my ankles this time." The girl grumbled at the pain in her head when she spoke. Sensing the child's discomfort, Sarah felt her forehead with back of her hand.

"Has the fever come back?"

"No, my head just hurts, and I'm having trouble breathing through my nose."

"Do you want me to make you a remedy, Love?"

"Yes, please." She made her body push her up to a sitting position, albeit a bit slowly. "How long have I been asleep?" It was too dark to read the clock on the wall to the left of her away from the door.

"Well It's ten o'clock at night. Can you figure it out by yourself?" The girl gave her an annoyed look. Of course she could figure it out. It was simple mathematics. All she had to do was take her bedtime of 7:30 and subtract it from 10:00. The only hard part was that the number only whet so high in time.

"Two hours and thirty minutes approximately. I don't know the exact time I actually fell asleep."

Sarah smiled." Smart girl, you knew I was going to ask that didn't you?"

Bay smirked in response.

"I'll go make you something." And with that she left the room.

The dark hair girl had to rub her eyes. The room had come into focus without any light besides the dim one coming from the hallway. All she had to do was get emotional and things would become sharper, more defined. She could see herself in the dresser vanity combo across the room from her bed. With her normal vision she is able to see herself, but she'd be covered in shadow. Now she had the ability to see herself in detail. That included her wet almond eyes, pale skin, curved nose, and high cheek bones. She was pretty, tall, and skinny, but she wasn't one to put herself out there. She only really had the one friend, and that's because he once crawled up the steps at the end of her hallway at age three when his dad was working in his office the floor below them.

Bay and Sarah lived on the top floor. It was the newest floor in this insanely old building. It was made when they turned the floor below them into offices. There use to only two high ceiling floors, but offices didn't need high ceilings. There floor was the residential area. It was rarely used before they got there. There are three bedrooms, a library/ living room, and a kitchen dining area settled all along the wooden floored hallway. Her bedroom was next the library which was the large room at the end of the hallway, to the left was a spare room use only when someone needed a room for a while. It was rare, though. Across from her was the kitchen and to the right of that was Sarah's bedroom. At the other end there was a large window. It was the top window in the middle of the Accords Hall's slopped roof. Facing the window the stairwell was to the left. It leads all the way to the back entrance.

Bay felt a bit of anger towards her eyes. They always did this when she was sad or overly emotional, such as anxious nervous, or Livid. They'd turn into golden green cat eyes then slowly go back to normal. Sometimes it hurt when she was in bright light to begin with, and they turned. She had started carrying a pair of sunglasses with her when she went out just in case.

She was brought out of her reverie by a thought: Sarah was taking longer than necessary. That was rather odd. She usually did what was needed without preamble then went to her paper work or the occasional small experiment. The majority of her projects were done at the university. Bay slowly eased herself out of bed. She was still suffering the aftershocks of a fever. Her feet hit the cold wooden floor as she walked out of her room and across to the kitchen. Bay turned to the left toward the dark cabinetry, where she would have been boiling the ingredients, but she wasn't in here. She started to here faint murmuring coming from the stairwell. With the cat eyes came an increased sense of hearing. She rubbed her arms as she walked down the hall, and stopped right before she would have been insight of the open archway.

"Ok, now why do I have to keep extra watch over her? I've already gotten behind on my work because of her resent illness. As of which you already knew. Since you've been testing how she works while her body works to cure herself." Bay recognized that voice immediately as Sarah's.

"Yes we were well aware of that. We also know that her first day of school is tomorrow, and she will start to feel the freedom to walk around, and talk to knew people." The gruff voice that comes with age had to be Arthur Phineas, her literature tutor. "Which is to be expected at her age, but who will be in town is what is bothering us."

Who will be in town? What does that mean? It's not like they allow little girl snatchers into Alicante… right?

"And who is this person coming that she can't meet?" By the sound of her voice, Sarah was definitely irritated. Her cockney was making her who's sound like oo's.

She heard the characteristic clearing of the throat by her science and math tutor Michael Westing "Alexander Lightwood the man who gave birth to Bay."

Wait, What? A-a man gave birth to her. This Alexander Lightwood was-is her… mother? She must have heard wrong. Delusions from being ill, that was all. She may only be seven, but she knew men didn't give birth. They weren't constructed for it.

"He's alive? I-I thought he died during childbirth or he was in a psych ward eating flies. Part of me believed you that you were lying, and just told me that so I would find interest in the child. I never would have raised her if I knew he was knocking about somewhere I assume perfectly capable of taking care of his daughter."

"She would never have the experience that she's getting now, if she stayed with them."

"Oh, so now both her fathers were capable of taking care of her."

"It's not who's capable, it's what's best for the child." Mr. Phineas said.

"What's best for the child is loving parents. I may love her, but I'm never going to be a parental figure like that. I take care of her like any other parent, but there's not that feel of 'that's your child'. The baby you gave birth to, and know that she's a smaller, more tender version of you and the person you love. Yes, she's probably better here academically then wherever she was born. Bay has never once asked about her parents. Even when her friend asked where they were, she just told him that she had me." There was a pause, "You want to know what, whatever. I'll keep an eye out; make sure she comes home right after school. She knows not to give personal information to strangers. Your precious little secret will stay that way. I assume that's all. Good-bye, Gentlemen." Both tutors told her their farewells.

Bay then heard Sarah's footsteps coming up the stairs. She did a quick assessment. There were ten steps to travel up when standing on the between platform. Twenty steps in all. Bay had about five more steps till Sarah would pass through the entry, and find Bay standing there. There wasn't enough time to make it back to her room. So she took a few steps backwards, and then walked forward as if she was just see if her keeper was down stairs. When Sarah turned through she jump from being from being startled.

"I'm sorry." Bay said after she faked bumping into her, "You were taking awhile, and I thought I heard voices. Who were you talking to?" Innocence lying nicely across her face as she played Sarah like she played her violin. That is what Mr. Phineas had told her to do. Adults will believe anything a child tells them as long as they look innocent while lying. They think children don't have a cunning ability until they're older. Unless, of course, they're looking snarky while lying about what they're were doing. That's the big give away. Sarah looked at her funny for a second. Her deductive skills were quite above average, but by the looks of it she was too barmy at the moment to double look it.

"Oh, just Mr. Phineas and Mr. Westing. Why don't you lie back down in bed and I'll be there in a minute." Her voice was back to normal when speaking to Bay. She didn't want her asking what it was they were talking about, so she abruptly changed the subject. The girl nodded and walked back to her room, trying to stop the shaking her body was making from the new information she overheard.

Fifteen minutes later, Bay was curled into a ball under her blanket scrolling thru her head for ways to approach the conversation she was determined to have, and letting her body heat warm her blankets so she didn't feel like she was wrapped in ice. She refused to take her head out until Sarah was sitting on the bed, causing it to creak and the mattress to indent.

"It's still a little warm, so don't drink it all at once." The British woman said as she handed it to the girl slowly pushing herself up." If you're still like this tomorrow you're not going to school." Bay resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Even if she did still feel the same, she'd still go to school. She'd just ignore the headache, put on more layers, and carry more tissues then she would have before.

They sat in silence while she drank her medicine. She watched as the older one of the two leaned back on the metal backboard and tilt her head back on the wall, closing her eyes. Sarah had light brown hair that fell just past her shoulders, but you'd never know that. Her hair was always in a high ponytail. She had the same color brown eyes and fair skin. Not pale like her own, but Sarah's tanned nicely this summer. She was beautiful compared to what Bay thought she looked. Sarah was soft featured in the face, while she had stronger features. She was told she was pretty, and to use that in her favor, but… there was this inkling to just blend in, and not be as noticed as she was supposed to be on the occasion. On another note, she was still debating how to ask Sarah about what she had heard. Part of her told her to be blunt and just get it over with, but part of her wanted to do what she was taught. Persuade, con, and convince.

"Sarah, what happened to your parents?"

The woman took a deep breath. "You heard what we were talking about." It wasn't a question. There went persuading. She should have known that wasn't going to work this time. "What do you want to know?"

She thought about this for a moment before answering. "How is it possible for a father to be a mother?"

"Well, I haven't thought about it much, but if your… father was to grow a womb then during conception it could be possible, I guess. Then either he could get a caesarean section, or with the help of a warlock possibly change some parts, but to actually create life is more than any warlock could do."

There was a small pause before anyone spoke, "Who's my father?" She whispered.

"And by that I assume you mean the one that sired you… I don't know his name…"

Bay moved her eyes from their intent gaze at her hands lying on her lap to Sarah's guilty face. She may be good at a lot of things, but lying was not one of them. "What do you know then?"

Sarah let out a long breath. "You know that none of this changes who you are. That you are the same girl you were when you woke-up this morning?" The girl nodded her confirmation. "Your father is- if I remember correctly- a very powerful warlock."

She let what this meant sink in for a minute. It explained the eyes, but what else did that mean? Did it mean she'd be able to do magic, or even live forever? Bay wrapped her arms around herself. Not from the cold, but from self consciousness. Why hadn't she figured it out sooner? She should have put the pieces together. The eyes, the intensified senses, the overheated body temperature when she was angry, or the slight tremors of objects she knew she saw when she overly emotional. Which for all those reason she tended to keep calm, but there was always this… fire that always seemed to want to burst when she schooled her feelings. Mr. Westing told her that being over emotional did nothing, but make it harder to pay attention, and notice the fine details needed for deduction.

There was no optimum response that came to mind, so she blurted the first thing that came to mind. "Aren't warlocks sterile?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Have you ever heard of a man giving birth?"

"Touché."

The brown haired lady took Bay's now finished glass, and tucked her beneath the sheets.

"Why are you raising me and not them?" Bay asked.

"I think your tutors wanted to do what they keep telling you."

"That the way to learn something is to study it." She stated from memory, "Does that mean that they would have told me eventually?"

"I don't know, Bay, I don't have much of a say in your education, but it was my idea to let you go to school with Peter, but you'll still have to keep up with your tutoring, though, or you can't go." Sarah moved her finger through the child's hair. "You know that I do love you, and I am glad that I chose to take care of you," She didn't seem to find a reason to inform her about the whole jail thing. "But I just wish that you had had the chance to have real parents. Do not tell your tutors about this conversation, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Now after school tomorrow we'll go birthday shopping, "She ruffled the girl's black hair, "No one should be sick on their birthday."

"It's fine. I'm just a day older then I was yesterday, but I know where we're going to go for my presents." She said with a big smile on her face. Instead of Bay asking for something then receiving it, they went to the store of her choice, and picked out a few things as gifts. It worked better that way. Bay was always changing her mind on what she wanted. Which made buying gifts quite hard when she wanted it one week but not the next, and since there was no way she was allowed out of the house this day, they had decided to do it tomorrow.

"Oh, really?"

"I found this little shop when we were shopping for groceries. It's called Belladonna. You should have seen the things inside. They were bloody brilliant."

Sarah laughed at the enthusiasm of the child. It was always hard to get her to be really happy over something, and when she did, it was only around people she was comfortable with. "We'll see. Good night try to get some sleep. You have an important day tomorrow."

"I know." Bay replied still smiling, "I love you, Sarah."

The woman turned around from her spot in the doorway. "I love you too, Bay." She said before shutting the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Alec Lightwood woke by the sound of his cell phone ringing. The first round he ignored it, but when it started ringing again he knew whoever was calling was just going to keep calling him. He had a very good idea who it was, too.

"If you don't answer that phone, I will slowly burn it and watch as it melts its way to hell." Came the tired, grumpy voice of his husband before he unwrapped his arms from Alec's muscular waist and turned over, covering his head with a pillow.

The younger man blindly reached for the spot he had left his phone the night before. He pressed the talk button by the last ring.

"What do you want, Jace?" He whispered into the phone. There was no need to check caller id when the only person that would call this early in the morning, and with such relentlessness, was his brother.

"How'd you know it was me?" Alec could practically feel the smirk on his brother's face.

"Who else would call me at-Oh, 6:30 in the morning. That's better than last time," He said in a mock-happy voice, but there was definitely an undertow of bitter annoyance hidden underneath. Alec carefully stood-up out of bed as to not disturb his sleeping partner further. There was no way he was going to go back to sleep now. "Look, Jace if all you wanted is to talk, now is not a good time."

"There is no reason to be mad at me when you could have already been awake, for all I knew." He said defensively.

"Calendar." Was Alec's response.

"Calendar? What is that su-Oh…"

Today definitely wasn't one of Alec's better days. Seven years ago changed the two men's lives in less then twenty-four hours twice. They went from a baby in their arms to Amber Alerts with no success. They had done everything worldly and unworldly possible to find their daughter. No tracking spells could be used when nothing was special to her yet. The neighborhood watch never saw anyone suspicious come into the building. Mrs. Garcia had lead a good deal- and he was very grateful- but when she had her son, Alec couldn't stand to be around her when she had her baby. Werewolves couldn't pick out scents; the faeries had nothing to do with it, and if they had any information, they weren't talking; anything a child of Lilith could do, Magnus could do; Shadowhunters were out of the question, seeing as Alec and his mother had yet to patch things up; and –after producing fake adoption papers- the mundane police found no clues as to the disappearance Bay.

Over a year later the warlock and shadowhunter got married by New York law. The clave didn't approve their marriage, there for the Clave didn't see it as a marriage. To them Alexander was still a bachelor, and Magnus Lightwood was still Magnus Bane. Both men didn't let it bother them, though. In their eyes they were married, and that was all that counted. Most couples weren't able to stay together when something like that happened, but they had seen each other at their weakest, needing each other more then ever before.

Most hope had faded through out the years, but there was always some lingering hope that one day they'd hear about a girl with the strength of the nephilim and the powers of a witch. Magnus still blamed himself. He had forgotten to put the wards back up after Alec's family and Catarina left. The shorter of the two didn't blame him, though. If someone really wanted Bay, they would have taken her with or without the wards. It just would have taken longer.

Alexander broke the silence between the two brothers. "Why are you calling me? If you just wanted to talk to someone, talk to Clary."

"I tried, but she kicked me in the leg, and told me to let her sleep and call you. So here I am talking to you because I forgot to ask you something earlier."

Alec poured the coffee beans into the machine, waiting for an answer, but it seemed he'd have to answer first. "And that would be?"

His brother coughed on the other end. "To ask you if you wanted to go to Alicante with me."

"Jace." He sighed. He hadn't been to Alicante since they were teens. That place held a lot of memories for him. Most not being pleasant. His father also practically lived there now. He had bought a really big apartment not long after he got divorced. Jace would surely want to stay there like Alec thought he did every time he went.

Clary and Jace had started taking an interest in clave politics, and were destined to take over as head of the New York conclave. Well, Clary was, but Jace only got into it because Clary did. He wasn't really made to be a politician. Magnus was right in that fact. The blond might be a looker, but he ruined it when he opened his mouth, which he did a lot. "Why do you want me to go? Clary always goes with you."

Jace scoffed, "You think I'm going to let Clary go across the world in her condition. I don't even want to go, but 'You need to be there for all important meetings if you want to make an impression' or so says Mayris. I am not risking my wife going into labor in another country. Idris or not, she's not having the baby when she isn't safe here with family."

The two had gotten married a couple years back, and were now pregnant with their first child. They didn't know what it was yet, but they would soon find out seeing as she was due in three weeks. It made his brother more of an annoying ass to be to be around with his over protectiveness on an all time high. It didn't help when they knew that bad things could happen even after birth.

"I love how you say condition as if she were to step out into the sun, she'd burn to ashes." He could feel the glare on the other end of the phone. "Why do you need me to come with you? You're a big boy. You don't need me reminding you to wash behind your ears, which I'm sure you don't."

"Alright, cranky, it's not fun going by myself. We could use a bro week anyway. Besides it's not like you have anything stopping you from going. Magnus goes on business trips all the time, so it's not like it's unfair to him; Robert is in France, I think, so there is no confrontation, and we get the apartment to ourselves; and you don't have much choice anyway." He said the last part faster then the rest.

"What do you mean I don't have much choice?" Alec said, now becoming suspicious.

"I already told them you were coming."

He stopped pouring the hot water in the coffee machine. "You little-"

"Hey, no name calling. Come-on, Alec, you know how much I hate those meetings. They're all a bunch know it alls who really don't know a thing."

Alec sighed, running his free hand over his face. "Fine… When do we leave?"

"In an hour. Meet me behind the institute, and bring your boy toy. We'll need him." Jace hung-up immediately before his brother could comment.

The ebony haired man finished making his coffee. All he had to do was wait for it to fill, so he went back into his room to inform Magnus, and pack. When he entered the room, the warlock looked at him with a face that seemed to know all. Alec smiled apologetically at him, causing him to grown and roll back over.

"Give me five more minutes." His voice was terribly muffled by the pillow so it took a second to understand what he said. Alec walked quietly into the closet and started packing. It was going to be one interesting week.  
o.O.o

"Sarah!" The ebony haired girl yelled across the hall.

"Bay!" Sarah retaliated from the kitchen. "I am not your bloody maid. When you want me come over to me and speak in a civilized manner."

Bay strode over the eight feet it took to get into the kitchen, dining room area, though she felt like trudging, but refrained.

"Sarah, may I ask of your assistance?"

"Better, and yes you may."

"Have you seen my jumper?"

The woman lifted both eye brows, "Which one?"

Bay had quite the collection of jumpers. "The grey and white striped one."

Sarah put down her kitchen utensils she had been using to make both their lunches for this afternoon, and started walking towards the door. "I'll help you look."

Five minutes later the missing item was found squished between two jackets in the back of the girl's closet. Bay pulled it over her plum camisole. It fell loosely around her thin frame, resting a couple inches below waist band of her tight black jeans. Her jeans were never fit all that tight around her legs, but she loved skinny jeans, even if they weren't as colourful as she would have liked.

"Would you like me to do your hair?" Sarah asked

"Yes please." Bay walked over to her white vanity table, handing the brunette the hair brush.

"Do you remember what your plans are today?" inquired Sarah as she worked out the knots

"Mrs. Evens will drop Peter off here then you will bring us both to school. After school Derek will pick us up and drop me off here then Mr. Phineas will come for lessons. Sometime later you will arrive home, and we'll going shopping."

"Is that all?"

"Oh, Mr. Westing is giving me my science lesson after dinner."

"Very good. Lean forward." She said as she started braiding the girl's hair from its high ponytail.

Bay seemed to have just remembered something. "I forgot to tell you I need new ballet slippers. I out grew the old ones."

"All right, we'll get you your shoes sometime this week. Do you need a new leotard?"

"Yes, Ma'am, I believe I do."

"When do classes start again?"

"In two weeks." She said with a smile. After Sarah finished braiding they walked into the kitchen so the woman could finish making their lunches. Bay sat neatly on a dining room chair, dangling her legs over the edge.

"Sarah, since today is the first day of school and you are supposed to look presentable, may I where a bit of lip gloss?"

"No." Sarah said blatantly. "We've had this conversation before. You do not need make-up."

"It's not a matter of need, but a matter of want. I just like it." Bay hung her head.

Sarah smiled softly at the girl. She finished packing their lunches, and walked over, giving her a little brown bag and a kiss on the forehead. "Let's wait by the back door for Peter.

The two children walked quietly behind an animatedly talking teen.

"I sure wish he'd stop." The shorter of the two whispered into his best friend's ear.

"Do you even know half of what he's saying?" The girl whispered back.

"I don't understand Derek when he's talking about everyday subjects much less high school." They both giggled. Derek turned around, glaring at the two.

"What are you two laughing about, huh?" He asked bitterly. It upsets the boy, but not the girl who just lifted a delicate eyebrow.

"Peter and I were just commenting on your choice of topic." She said in what her friend called her business voice. "As you are aware of, this is our first day of actual schooling. These 'blocks' and your barking mad physical defense teachers mean nothing to us."

Derek leaned down face level with Bay. "You've got one smart mouth, don't you?"

"Now, now, sir, we wouldn't want to speak in such a tone with such a lovely lady behind you, would we?"

"A lovely lady?" He asked confusedly. Bay just smiled sweetly, and looked behind his shoulder.

"Hello, Derek." Said a light voice behind him. His eyes grew a fraction with realization. He quickly turned around to face the voice. His eyes fell upon a girl who you wouldn't expect to have such a voice. Fake platinum hair, nose piercing, chunky combat boots, and a lacey black dress. The kind of girl your mother would hate.

"Oh, Hello, Maria." He said nervously.

"It's May now." Was her snarky reply. "Look, I and the rest of the guys were going to head to the east woods to…" She looked at the two kids staring at her. One afraid; the other categorizing. "Celebrate the first day of school. I was wondering if you wanted to join us." She gestured to a group of five other punks loitering twenty feet away in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Yeah, I'd love to."

"But, Derek-"Peter started.

"Tell mom if she comes home early that I'm hanging with friends, got it?"

"But we're not supposed-"

"Got it?" He said threateningly.

Peter looked down dejectedly. "I got it."

The teens were off without a word.

"We're not supposed to go into the woods." He whispered.

Bay put an arm around her best friend. She knew he looked up to his brother more then most. But that was just Peter. He was the most loyal person she'd ever met. It wasn't easy for him to have to lie to their parent as to where his older brother was. Derek was the cool one in his eyes. He'd killed a demon before, been training for years, and did whatever he pleased, which was the problem.

"If your brother wants to sit in the woods around a campfire smoking pot, let him."

He looked up at her. "How did you know that's what they are going to do?"

"She smelled like kerosene, and her friends were smoking. The color and saturation of the smoke lead me to the pot, and he has taken a liking to the girl." She added as an after thought.

Peter sniffed away unshed tears, and smiled. "Why can't you talk like a normal person?"

Bay started walking, and let go of her friend, suddenly sober. "Because I'm not normal."

"Well I knew that." He said not noticing the change in atmosphere. "When Miss Townsend brought up the subject of warlocks, you asked about eighty questions. Even though we both know you knew most of the answers anyway."

"I was merely noting our teacher's capabilities as a teacher." Bay said blandly.

"And was it up to the 'Bay standard' as I am now officially calling it."

The girl looked down and raised an eyebrow. "She is… adequate at best, but I only truly go there for the training now that they lowered the age of acceptance. The war against Valentine changed a lot of things, - as I am sure you know- but it has made them skittish, and uncontrollable. We should not have to exert our bodies at such a young age."

"Shh, someone will here you." He started looking around frantically.

"Good. I don't think I wanted to be here in the first place."

Peter grabbed her wrist, causing her to stop, and give the boy a glare that still gave him chills. "What do you mean by that?" He asked slightly offended, thinking she meant with him.

What came was the abrupt answer he didn't think he'd ever expect. "My mother is my father." She started walking away clearly not wanting to get into this conversation, but Peter pulled her back.

"Repeat that, please?"

She gave him her signature 'don't be an idiot' look. "You heard me. His name is Alexander Lightwood, and I intend to learn my father's name. I hope you will help me."

Slowly catching up he asked, "You know your… mom-dad's name, and you want me to help you find you dad-dad's name? I will help you, but when did you find out? Have you known all along and never told me?"

"Why wouldn't I tell you?" She snapped suddenly irritated. "I have just found out that I was taken from my home- my parents- and brought here to study, or should I say to be studied. Because who wouldn't want to watch a half warlock grow up without clue as to whom her parents are!"

She instantly regretted her tone towards him when she saw the watering, hurt face staring up at her. Bay inwardly cursed herself. She should have known snapping at him would cause that reaction. He was more vulnerable then she was.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." She hugged him around his chest, Peter's head in her neck. "I'm just on edge right now. I wanted to tell you this all day, but we were never alone. You know how much I hate speaking about personal matters with other people near." Peter pulled back, but still had his arms around her waist. "Before you say it, yes my father is warlock, yes warlocks are sterile, and no, I don't know how this Alexander gave birth to me."

He let go completely, and wiped away his tears. A smile finally grazed his lips. "I'm in. Where are we going to start?"

A cat like smile spread over Bay. "The vaults. Midnight."


	4. Chapter 4

Alec adjusted the strap of his duffle bag on his right shoulder. After the men's arrival they had had just enough time to drop their bags of at the front door before hurrying to the Accords hall for the beginning meeting. By the time it was finished, his watch read 9:30. So with sore butts, the two brothers walked down the light blue hallway to the two doors at the end of the hall. The place had three bedrooms and a bath. The ground floor consisted of a living room and a small kitchen. It wasn't as much Robert's apartment as it was the families. Mayris was the one to usually stay here in Alicante more than Robert did, which explained why it was decorated the way it was.

Jace and Alec separated to their rooms without a word. Later after the ebony haired man won the first shower, he laid down in the double bed. He snuggled into the comforters, wishing his other half were here with him. Alec grabbed paper and a pencil from the night stand then leaned down over the bed to ruffle through his bag from its place on the floor. He found his steele hidden under a cat toy he knew he didn't pack. Placing the metal object next to him started to write.

Warlock Bane:

I would like to require as to the state of- Sorry bad attempt at humor, but I couldn't help myself. Seriously, though, Mags, how are you doing? I'm sorry again that I had to leave with Jace without much notice. Truth be told I wish I was there with you, but guess I really should get out more. I wish you could come into Alicante. There are so many things I never got to show you when we were last here, though, you probably have seen a great deal of them already. Now that I think about it, the War against Valentine remembrance ball is coming up soon. They dropped the date back some if I remember right. I'm sure that it won't be as good as it was when you planned it. Anyway, I just wanted to know how you're doing, and that I miss you.

Love,

Alec

P.S. Why is there one of Chairman Meow's toys in here?

He reached over to his left, grabbing his steele. The heat slowly radiated into his hand. Alec turned himself on his back and sat up. He watched the burn draw dark brown lines into the paper before all that was left were some ashes on the bedspread. The shadowhunter didn't have to wait long to receive his one sentenced remark.

Stick your right hand out, palm up.

He did and within a few seconds his cell phone was sitting there with a piece of note paper caught inside. Magnus must have rigged his phone to be able to talk to him. His thumb flipped it open, revealing what the note said.

Call me, Blue Eyes.

Covering blue eyes was a lip stick stain in what he knew to be Magnus' favorite red lipstick. Alec pushed in one and waited for his spouse's name to appear on the screen before he put it to his ear. The first ring hadn't ended when the warlock picked up.

"Warlock Bane my ass, Alexander, but thank you for the compliment. I do plan the best parties. I would really like to be there with you too. No I haven't seen all that many sights in Alicante. My trips there have been few and far between with no personal time. As for the cat toy, I don't know. Maybe Chairman wanted you to have something remember him with. He really misses you. Also you need to stop apologizing for everything. Well, I guess that covers it. Albeit not in order."

"Magnus, how are you really?"

The man could hear a large intake of breath on the other side of the phone.

"I may or may not have snapped at a costumer."

"That's not unusual. You snap at a lot of people."

"I also maybe literally pushed him out the door, threatening to turn off the water and turn his family into fish."

"What did he do to make you that mad?"

"He kept going on about how when he goes home his little kid brother is always on his heels wanting to play with him."

"Oh, Mags."

"I just wish people would stop taking family for granted, you know. The little boy just loves him… Listen to me getting upset. You're the one who lost Max, not me. So how was your day, Sweetie?" His tone changed drastically at the end.

"You have every right to be upset." He ignored the deceptive question. "You lost some one too. We've both lost someone special to us."

"I know" The warlock sighed. Alec could picture him sitting down rubbing his hand over his face, and yet his make-up never smudged. "But really how was your day? What was the meeting about anyway?"

"Honestly, it has been pretty boring. They were discussing different regulations and stuff. It's amazing what they're doing with children. They start training them around the age of seven. I would never have let Max start training that early. It's too much for them at that age."

"Would you have done the same with Bay?" Magnus' voice was quiet. "You'd wait till she was ten to do anything strenuous with her?"

It was a moment before the younger man answered.

"Yes, a kid needs a real childhood where they can play without worry of something coming up behind them, looking for something to eat. I wouldn't let any kid not have their childhood. It's too precious." His words were choked every once in a while. It wasn't like they never talked about Bay. Sometimes they'd just look at each other knowing that the other was thinking the same thing. Where was she, how is she, is she still alive, and who took her.

"Alec…" Magnus didn't sound quite right. He never called him Alec like that. It was always Alexander or some other pet name when they were speaking alone.

"Mhm?" He was too tired to say yes.

"…Would… you like to have another… baby?" Alec had to do a double take. They had never talked about having another child. It was almost like giving up on their daughter. But Magnus had uttered them so lightly he could almost feel his breath on his ear.

The question was whether or not he wanted another baby. He had taken care of his sibling needs since he could remember. Now that they had other people to worry about them, he had started to miss that feel of helping Iz get over a bad break-up or reading a comic to max when he didn't have the ability to or watching Jace's back when they went hunting. He couldn't deny the want to hold his baby in his arms, feeding her. Not that he exactly wanted to carry another one in him; it just wasn't possible for him to have anymore like that. The Seelie Queen made sure of that.

"You mean like adoption?"

"Mmm" It was the sound the glittery man made when Alec had guessed wrong, but not by much.

"It's not like we can have a baby the normal way. You couldn't get me pregnant again, or I you. "

"Yeah, I guess. I was just wondering if the situation were to show itself, would you like one?"

"I think so, yes. If a baby is dropped off on our door step or we find a family-less child or whatever I'd love to raise a child with you."

"I love you, Alexander."

"I love you too."

"Sweet dreams." He hung-up, abruptly.

Alec rolled his eyes and lay back down. Bringing the comforter up to his chin, he fell asleep with his phone inches away.  
o.O.o

Why am I doing this? Thought Peter, that's right; you do whatever she asks, like a loyal little doggie. He heard a scraping noise in the distance. What was that? His fear was magnetized with every little sound. It didn't help that some of the street lights were out, making the shadows longer and darker. He knew there was nothing to fear, and that it wasn't right of him to be afraid of the dark when he was a shadowhunter. But the stories Bay had told him- and with uncensored details- caused him to be more aware of what could be hidden between buildings. Waiting until just the right moment to-

A bang sounded behind him. He would deny it if asked, but it made him jump a foot in the air, screaming like a little girl.

"God, that was my ear, you git."

Peter and his pounding heart were immensely glad it was just his best friend closing the door behind her. Even if she did insult him as a greeting, but that was just Bay.

"You should have just come in if you were this uncomfortable outside." She continued.

"The door was locked."

"Oh." The dirty blonde noticed that she didn't look as much apologetic as she did just simply noticing. "Did you bring what I asked for?"

He slipped a brass key out of his pants pocket. "My dad is going to kill me if he finds out his key is missing, much less me missing."

She turned around pulling the door open for her cold friend, allowing him to walk though before her.

"Why you use such words as killing when the probability of your punishment wouldn't be as severe as you'd think. They know the only reason you would sneak out of your home would be because I asked you to." He made an attempt to protest, but she waved it away. "Don't bother you know it's true."

They walked quietly down the stone steps, silently counting the number of floors taken. The third below level was what they needed. Bay grabbed her witch stone from her pocket before easing the door open. Their feet made the only sounds in the endless hallways. Wooden doors were scattered aimlessly along the walls. Every so often another hallway would appear on their left or right. They stayed with the main hallway through-out their trip. There were rumors of another entrance to the bone city hidden behind one of these doors. Bay had been exploring here a few times secretly. Not many people were allowed access in the vaults. She had found that most held old artifacts from different eras. After a few silent minutes of walking, the ebony haired girls stopped in front of a red door. Written in elegant scrawl were the words-

Room 57

Personal information of Nephilim.

Official access only.

"Give me the key."

"Please…"

She glowered at him, but bit out a please anyway.

"That sounded painful."

"It was."

He handed Bay the key, and watched as she carefully fit it in the lock. With a resounding click, Bay turned the brass knob and entered, Peter following quietly behind her. She turned to her looking for the switch to light the witch stones hanging on the walls. When she found it, lights started glowing on the walls every six feet or so. The room was a big as a small warehouse. The two children stood facing row upon row of aisles. The left seemed to hold the older documents in holes carved into stone. Going to the right, the storing quality seemed to slowly become more modern. From stone to rotting wood to lacquered wood to the metal rows filled with chipping green filing cabinets.

"Where do we start?" Asked Peter in awe.

Bay ran a hand of her face into her hair, pulling tight as she blew out a breath. Peter noticed that she had left it down for once. It always seemed to be in either a braid or a bun. "It depends on how they categorize it: by name or by rank or maybe by the age of the family line. If it is by family line then we are screwed. Lightwood is an old name placed here or there in various history books. Rank would take me time to figure out where to look, but if they organized it by name alphabetically then I suggest we start in the third aisle in from the right."

"Do you think it's going to take awhile?"

"Most likely."

"Do you think there are rats down here?"

Bay turned to look at him amused, "You afraid of a little mousie?"

"No, I just don't want my face eaten."

"They will probably just avoid you."

"Oh yeah, look at that spider."

"Where!" She yelled, clutching Peter's forearm enough to leave bruises. He doubled over in laughter.

"You should have seen your face! It was so funny!"

The girl punched his arm. He tried his best not to wince. "It is not funny. A single spider can kill you with one poisonous bite. A rat can't do that.

"It could have rabies." He said indignantly.

"You could get a shot. Do you know where I could get some anti venom for spiders? No. No, you don't." She grabbed the boy's wrist and pulled him farther in to the room. She let go when they got to aisle 29.

"You look here. I will search over there." She pointed to the lane across the gap marked 61. He couldn't help but feel a little scared that he'd be almost alone in this poorly lit room. The beginning of the first rows to the ending of the last rows had to be half the size of a football field. "Do you know how to spell Lightwood?"

Peter knew she was trying her hardest not to make him sound like an idiot, but compared to her he was. They may have been the same age, but she reads over a hundred page books and without pictures, too. Even in school she had a different program then every one else. It wouldn't make sense to teach her level one books when she was grades ahead in academics. Bay had mentioned that she already learned the things he was just starting to learn. That the only reason she was going was for the shadowhunter training.

After the war against Valentine the clave didn't want a recap of defenseless children being killed by demons in case the wards did break down again. It wasn't real training like his brother was learning, but more of self defense and what to do in case of a demon attack.

"L-I…"

"G."

"G-H-T then wood, which sounds like how it's spelled."

"Call if you find something." With that she walked away stoically as per usual, but only Peter would know that she was trying her hardest not to let her excitement show.

A good twenty minutes later Peter had made little progress while Bay had moved to the next lane. Getting a little scared of the dark and the feel of being completely alone, he decided to start a conversation. He still had questions.

"So, you're a Lightwood now?" He called out into the room. He noticed how the words bounced lightly of the walls.

"Possibly. I could have been born out of wedlock. The clave isn't likely to approve of such a marriage, and I don't know my… father's last name."

"We should make a distinction between the two. Your mother we'll call your dad, and your father we'll call your father."

"Oh, how creative!" Bay yelled sarcastically.

"Hey, it works." He said defensively. "I guess being a witch explains things, like your eyes and pathetic excuse for a belly button-"

"My belly button is not pathetic!"

"But you don't look any different from the rest of us. Can you do magic yet?"

"Not anything real, but I haven't tried yet. Besides, I think you have to come of age, but it hasn't really been proven seeing as most warlocks don't figure it out until they either explode in flames or meet someone who can tell what they are."

"Does Mordecai know then?"

"I was told not to trust him so I severely doubt it, but he could be helpful in the search for my father." Mordecai was the warlock representative. Bay had always liked the guy. The way he could make things appear before him, amazed her. She wasn't like other shadowhunters in that sense. They pretended not to care when Benny –as she had affectionately started calling him- the representative of werewolves stepped into their line, but it was easy to see their unease.

"So this is a real thing for you now?" His voice softened, "You want to know them, and meet them. You want a real family." It wasn't a question.

Peter figured the conversation had ended there when she didn't respond right away, but quite a few minutes later she spoke.

"Yes."

They didn't speak for some time before he heard a shout coming from his friend's direction. He ran to where she was, expecting blood, but it was a shout of success. She was standing there facing the right side a big grin on her face. He jogged over to her, and looked at the object of her attention. It was just another filing cabinet, but written in blue pen were the words:

Personal files of living Lightwoods.

Bay slowly went to pull out the middle drawer. She tugged it once, but it wouldn't budge. She pulled it a second time. Same result. By the third time she had both hands yanking repeatedly on the metal.

"Damn it." She sneered. Bay hadn't noticed the lock on the top right corner. It was locked. "Give me your key." When he took to long scrambling his jean pockets, she barked "Now."

Seconds later she grabbed the key from his hand and shoved it in the hole. The girl tried turning it both ways, it didn't budge. Peter put a tentative hand over hers to try to stop her jerking the key.

"It's going to brake." He whispered. When she didn't stop, he placed another hand on top. "Bay."

She pulled her hand away fiercely, causing the key to fall on the floor. She tugged on her hair, eyes squeezed closed, as she walked around.

"Was there any other keys?" She asked through clenched teeth.

"Just the one. It must be hidden in his office, or with a guard."

"Damn it. Damn it all to bloody hell. Bloody, blasted hell." She kicked the cabinet remarkably hard. It showed on her face. So did the curse words that fell from her mouth that moment as the metal drawers jingled on there own.

"Bay!"

"It pissing hurt. Don't be such a prude."

"No, you made them move."

"Made what move?" She glared at him, her eyes already in cat mode.

He made an exaggerated gesture around him. "Maybe you could open it with magic."

She looked from him to green drawer back to him before finally setting on the former. She focused all her energy into it, thinking about that lock just turning by itself. Nothing happened. She closed her eyes in defeat.

"Now what do we do?" Peter asked quietly.

"Think." Was her answer. She went over to the other side and sat down. Peter followed suit. The girl bent her knees up, and crossed her right foot over her other leg. She played with the anklet he never saw not on her.

"Maybe if I got a screwdriver I could work the drawer open. Can't use a stele, and bobby pins wouldn't work, but the metal is cheap. I bet it will bend easily enough."

"Where are we going to get a screwdriver?"

"I guess we will have to buy one. Do you have any money?"

"No. You?"

"None what so ever. I'll figure it out tomorrow morning. Do you want me to accompany you home?"

"No, I'm fine." He stood up and offered his hand to the girl. She took it, and they left, locking the door on their way out. No good-bye was said that night.


	5. Chapter 5

Bay looked over to her friend. He wasn't the best at schooling his emotions. His face clearly portrayed what he felt: guiltiness for sneaking out late past bed time, and the tiredness that attributed with being without sleep for a good bit of the night. Peter's brown eyes stared mindlessly at Sarah's back as she walked them to school. Bay didn't blame him all that much. She had spent the remainder of the night staring at her ceiling, trying to think of a better plan then the one she had formulated. The girl had yet to tell her friend what she was going to do, and, frankly, didn't want to. It wasn't like she wanted to do it. Sarah had taught her how as a joke. She had to admit sometimes she'd use that skill to take things from her tutors and mix their possessions for fun. It was entertaining to watch them wander around looking for their lost possessions just to find them in a completely unlikely spot.

Sarah stopped suddenly, making Peter walk into her back, and Bay to laugh at the comical scene, but regretted it when her sore throat protested. The woman didn't bother turning around till the letter that had caused her stop was done burning in front of her, and she finished reading it.

"Damn, I have to get to AU. Some intern blotched up the paperwork and now the Clave thinks we owe them more then we really do. Will you two be alright if I let you go to school by yourselves?"

"Yes, ma'am, I know the way." Answered the girl.

"Alright, but straight to school. I mean it, Bay, no stalling." She turned to the boy, "Keep an eye on her, Peter, you know when she's trying to con you. Use it to your advantage." There was a smile on her face the entire time. The boy just nodded his head. With a final good-bye, she crossed the street and headed down the road out of sight.

Without warning, Bay grabbed Peter's wrist and started running down the road. She pulled him to the left down a road that didn't lead to their school.

"B, slow done! You're going the wrong way." Peter yelled, even then, with the wind in her ears it was hard to hear him. He tried to wiggle his wrist out of her grasp, but she held on tighter and ran faster, dodging the various people scattered on the side walk.

"I know, that is why I am running!"

After a minute more of this, she stopped as quickly as she started. The blond didn't know this and kept running a few more steps, jerking them both forward.

"Uugh, don't do that." Grumbled Bay, as she let go of her friend's hand to hold her aching head.

"You're the one who kidnapped me, so don't complain when I didn't know we were stopping."

"I did not kidnap you."

"Then what do you call taking me from where I should be to wherever I am now against my will?"

The girl glared at him while she slowly removed her hand from her head.

"That's what I thought. I'm supposed to watch you. I'm the older one."

"Age has nothing to do with it. I have the higher IQ."

"How do you know that? You don't know my IQ."

"Yes I do."

Peter turned his gaze back to her from their search of the area to stare at her incredulously.

"How?"

"I took it a couple months ago." She said as if she was talking about the weather. Bay had gotten some Mensa papers, and decided to test him discretely while he was over, "It is higher then I expected. I am proud of you."

"Um… thank-you…?" He continued looking around, eyes stopping on various people and objects. "So why are we on Limerick Street?"

Bay didn't hear him. She was looking at a café right next to them. Mabel's had a giant outdoor awning that covered half the width of the sidewalk. Six red tables stood tall under the shade with their wrought iron, cushioned companions. There were a few people sitting at the tables outdoors. An old woman with what looked to be her daughter, two young men sitting on the left side, and on the right the man she needed, sitting where he always sat every morning around this time. Michael Wormer had a high position in the records department. It was ironic in her mind that the person in charge of records was her way into stealing her dad's folder. He wasn't chosen because of his job. He just happened to have a morning schedule that coincided with hers. Every morning he sat down at the same table order eat then leave in about forty five minutes. Bay knew why he came here every morning. First he was cheating on his wife, and second she was a horrible cook. Another prime factor was that he always kept his wallet in his brown suit coat. It was almost to perfect. She knew him, he was reliable – except to his wife – as to where he was, and his money was easily accessible.

"Bay!"

The girl turned back to Peter. "Hmm?"

"Why are we here? No crap this time. I want a straight answer."

She wiped all emotion from her face, and slowly blinked once. "I'm going to pick-pocket Mr. Wormer."

Peter blinked a couple times before his barely coherent statement, "W-what?"

"All other options would take to long. I will pay him back, and I hate that I'm doing this, but if anything happens keep your mouth shut. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a conversation to start. Also, you are catching files." She flicked her wrist under his chin, effectively shutting it, and walked under the canopy with a head held high and a heart sunken in her stomach.

"You think I should grow some facial hair?" Asked Jace with a mouthful of waffles.

Alec looked up from where his finger was playing on the top of the metal napkin holder to his brother's face, "No."

"Why not? I would look good with maybe a soul patch or like I haven't shaved in a couple days look."

The ebony haired man made a face, "I don't think Clary would like kissing your hairy face."

Jace shrugged before biting into a piece of bacon, "I guess so. Can you grow a beard? Or are you and Magnus incapable of growing one?"

"It is so rare that I have to shave, and I don't think I've ever seen Magnus shave. Your mind grows old, but your body stays the same barely hairy self. Did you know that you'll never see a Native American with facial hair?"

"What is up with you and useless facts? You always seem to have one for everything."

"They aren't completely useless. They can be helpful."

He scoffed and slouched back into his chair, clearly bored with how long it took Alec to eat his food. The older man just ignored him and went back to eating his eggs. A few minutes later his brother spoke up.

"Well, would you look at that? Sherlock is chatting up some guy."

He looked confusedly at the blond before looking around at the tables scattered around. To the right of him were two women, one substantially older then other. He turned around in his chair to look at the tables on the other side of the door. He could only see the back, but it looked to be a young girl talking animatedly with a professional looking man. The way Jace had said it, sounded like he was talking about some hustler trying to get something out of the guy.

"You mean the girl?" He asked still looking at her.

"Yeah. Don't know her real name, but she's got to have some high ranking parent or something 'cause I see her sometimes during a meeting, sitting by a door."

"Why do you call her Sherlock?" There was something pulling about the girl. He had this protective feeling itching at him to go over there and make sure she was alright.

"All she has to do is look at you and she knows every little detail about you."

"I doubt- "Alec had started to finally look away, but a quick movement bought his eye. The girl's pale thin hand moved from tugging on one of her black braids to slipping in the blink of an eye into the man's coat pocket, pulling out his wallet, the dark colour of the money holder contrasting against her pale skin. A sense of déjà vu hit him for a second before he let it go to watch the small crime take place. In record time she had produced some bills from inside the fold without looking down once. It was then slid back into its original home, the man talking too animatedly to notice the shift in pressure.

Alec looked back to his brother, with a glance he knew the other saw what he had seen.

"Give it minute." He said not taking his eyes off the girl. Alec grabbed the mirror like napkin holder, and placed it in a position where he could see the pair without having to turn around. Less then a minute later they finished. She turned to the left and walked out of the designated outdoor exit.

Jace was the first to stand, followed closely by the blue eyed man. Alec always followed just a step behind the other, but for reasons unknown to him when they left the shade of the red canopy; he took a few steps forward, eyes transfixed on the child dressed in hot pink pants and a light blue sweater. They walked over to where she was arguing with a boy the same age as her.

The dirty blond kid's apple green widened in fear as he looked up to see them approaching. He whispered something in his friend's ear. She set her shoulders firm and murmured something that sounded a lot like not a word before turning around to face them. Her deep blue eyes stared almost emotionlessly at him. Looking his body up and down, seeming to file him in her mind, It felt weird being the first one looked at like that, not his sibling. A look of recognition passed over her face when she finally looked at Jace.

"Bloody hell, it is the wanker." Her accent was definitely English, which explained the crude slang. It was refined in a way, like she came from a wealthy English family. He really liked the sound of it. " Oh, and look he brought his parabatai with him. How cute."

"Do you even know the meaning of that word, Sherlock?" Asked Jace, coming up beside him with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yes I do actualy. I'm just not allowed to say that kind of stuff out loud. As pleasant as this little conversation has been, my friend and I have to go to our classes. Good day-"

"Cut the crap, Kid."

For a moment her eyes held both anger and fear before she took a barely noticeable breath and blinked it away. It amazed the older Lightwood how large the girl's vocabulary was for a kid her age.

"We saw you take that man's money." Jace continued. "You can even see the outline of it in those tight, colourful jeans you're wearing."

She put on a sweet, fake smile, and batted her eyelashes "Maybe I'm just happy to see you."

She was definitely quick witted, but he didn't like what she had in her head. The girl was too young to make jokes like that. He couldn't help but wonder who her parents were to let her do this kind stuff. Jace only got angrier, but she noticed that and switched tactics.

"I know the man. He has money to spare, which seems to be the only reason his wife is staying with his cheating arse. He eats there regularly, so when I get enough money to pay him back I know where he is. You don't have to tell me what I did was wrong I know that well enough without the lecture. As I have said, I have every intention of paying Mr. Wormer back his money, and as with custom: interest. I am in a situation where money is needed at the soonest possible moment."

"What kind of a situation?" Alec asked gently.

She looked down, clearly getting uncomfortable." It is… a family thing… I did not take that much- maybe five dollars, but…"

It was then that he could actually see a little girl in that body, and hidden under that obvious brightness he saw her hurting deep inside.

"Who are your parents?"

"Don't have any." She answered quickly.

"That would explain things." Remarked the older blonde. Alec gave him a warning glare.

"All right. Then who takes care of you?"

"Sarah. Weren't you listening." The girl snapped.

"Sorry. Where is Sarah?"

"At work."

"What does she do?"

She turned sideway to look at her friend, running her left hand over the side of her face, obstructing the view of the top half of her face. The boy who during this confrontation had been looking fearfully at the two opposing men, scratched under his eye. In a second she placed a pair of dark sun glasses from their place hanging on her pocket to her face. The wearer turned back to Alec with a change of demeanor.

"Grocery store owner." She still wouldn't look him straight in eyes.

"What's so important that you needed to steal money for it?"

"I told you that it was a family thing. Bloody hell, are all yanks as daft as you are. Well your brother is more daft then average, but he is an exception."

"What do you mean-"Started the older blond, just to be stopped by the older ebony.

"No one ever guesses that we're brothers."

He couldn't see behind the sunglasses, but he suspected that she rolled her eyes at them.

"Well, the parabatai wasn't that hard to figure out. Though, you did switch it up a tad when you went ahead of him. You are overprotective of each other. You shared the same body soap, so you are comfortably staying with each other while you are here, but you two are not shagging" Alec blushed slightly despite himself. She pointed to Jace. "You were adopted probably around the age of ten. It was almost too obvious to tell your relationship."

Both men subconsciously looked each other up and down.

After a moment the golden nephilim spoke up. "What else can you tell, Sherlock?"

A feral grin spread across her face.

"That's really not the best-"The smallest of the group began.

"Nonsense, he wants to know. Who am I to deny his request?" She looked him over once before speaking.

"You are married to a read head, and about to be a father within a month. Your first, if I'm not mistaken. Left-handed… You live in New York City, but you originally come from Idris, south-east from here, a botched up early childhood, trust issues definitely, speak multiple languages, have a sister-younger, also adopted-, you come to Alicante often, don't agree with the clave very often, you rank yourself a very good hunter, narcissist –obviously- who cares to much about his looks, afraid of losing people you care for, probably came from the death of your first…parent…father...?- yes, I'm right, but that is not it- another very close person. Little brother…?-Ok still right, but there's more isn't there? Someone else not as close, but still family. Cousin?-no, closer to home- as you say- died at a very young age. So either a nephew or a ni-"

"Shut-up." Spat Jace. The girl snapped her attention back to his eyes, as they had wondered through out her words. "She didn't die. She was kidnapped."

Alec didn't have the ability to talk. It wasn't the bringing up of his daughter that made him that way, though that did pull his heartstrings forcefully. He was… proud of her. He wanted to tell his brother to shut-up himself, and not to talk to her that way. When he saw the scared expression flash across her face for a split second, he wanted to hug that frail body to him and tell her that Jace was just an over sensitive ass.

As fast as the fright showed it left.

"My apologizes, Sirs"

The ebony man kneeled in front of her, staring into her glasses. "What's your name?"

"Elizabeth, and my friend's name is Nicholas."

He stuck his handout to her, "Hello, my name is Alec."

She stared at it for a minute before taking it in a firm, business like grip.

"What's your last name?" He asked the frightened girl. She still wouldn't meet his eyes.

"I don't know." As soon as the words left her mouth her whole body stiffened. She hadn't meant to say that.

"You don't know?" Repeated the blond. You could tell that he was still mad by his voice, but with the warning glances Alec was giving him, he didn't push it.

"Yes, I don't know!" She snapped, "I don't have a second or last name. I go by my first name only. How many names do I need?"

"I'm sorry." Alec put his hands up between them in surrender. "Look I'll make you a deal. I'll give you the money you need if you return the man's money back to him, and promise me you won't steal again."

"I do not want your pity money."

"Good, because I don't pity you."

Elizabeth studied him for a moment. "Why promise? Why not swear on the angel?"

"Because I'm not going to force you. It's your choice to steal or not, and that's a decision you have to make yourself."

She finally looked him in the eyes. Two seconds later she walked toward Mabel's to the man sitting finishing his breakfast. With a fake smile on her face she acted as is she forgot to mention something. This time the girl wasted no time giving the wallet back its money, but when it slipped back in his pocket he noticed the change. She also seemed to notice. Her body stumbled over itself, grabbing onto his side for support. He seemed to ask her how she was, and Elizabeth waved her hand in the air dismissively before fixing her black sunglasses. She quickly finished the conversation. Coming back to the group, she looked right up at the now standing Alec defiantly.

"I promise. Now hold up your end of the bargain."

The older brother in a slight daze reached into his back pocket, pulling out his own wallet. "How much do I owe you?"

"Two dollars should be adequate."

"Only two?" He asked incredulously, "You stole two dollars only?"

"Well I may have taken more than needed, but I was not looking."

Alec shook his head, giving her a couple ones. "This better not be for candy, Elizabeth."

She tucked the money in her pocket. "No, sir, I am going to buy a screw driver."

"Angel, a screwdriver, really, that's what you want?" Jace asked. "That's what your family problem is? You lack a screwdriver?"

"Yes, Wanker, I need a flat-head. I cannot tell you why, but I am sincerely grateful for your generosity." She started walking backwards slowly, grabbing her friend's wrist. "We have to run, you know late for class and all. Good-day." Elizabeth then began running down the way, yanking the boy in a painfully awkward angle.

The older nephilim watched the children evade pedestrians and barely avoid a woman with a dog until he was given a well placed punch to the arm.

"Why did you do that, stupid? You practically patted her on the head and told her good girl. Do you really think giving her money and making her promise was the best option? I was almost expecting the two of you to shake pinkies."

Alec fully turned to his ticked-off brother. "She's a little girl who has to be seven at the most. What did you want me to do? Book her?"

Jace gave him an expectant look that received an irritated eye roll.

"Is this what you do with Magnus?" The blond continued, "Tell him you'll give him money if he doesn't," He wiggled his fingers in the air, "steal things?"

The other man shrugged, "Kind of."

"And how does that work for you?" Jace asked amusedly.

"Not well. Sometimes I think he'd just turn into dust if he couldn't use magic."

Alec could hear Jace laughing behind him as he began walking back to their table.

"Hey where are you going?" Called the younger of the two.

"Back to finish my breakfast." He could feel the groan emanate onto his back. He smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

Ah, this was what he liked, thought Magnus. The sound of shoes hitting the cobble stone ground, and the smell of pastries baking in the nearby bakeries started to intoxicate his mind. It had been almost a year since he'd last seen Munich and all its beauty. There had been an issue with a close friend of his. A pack of werewolves were trying to get their paws on the witch's domain. Trying to keep lycanthrope away while dealing with clients was quite a taxing job. So as one of those rare favors -and a bit of spending money- the high warlock did what he could to help.

Magnus lived her for a time, as he had many other places. Maria was a witch he'd come to know quickly with the title of head witch of Munich, a pretty woman with auburn hair. He had to admit that they'd had some… fun together, but as with half the cases they turned out to be just friends. What could he say? He wasn't always a happily married man.

While Magnus walked down the historic part of town, he past some still existing pre-WWII buildings. He wasn't to far away from her house. The warlock could have easily portaled to her front step, but he wanted a walk-around to get his barring in order. It was nice to get out of New York, and into a cleaner environment. A smile crept-up on his face when he remembered walking down this very road holding hands with Alexander. Holding hands in public was a recent accomplishment then. Alec had substantially opened-up to the world. There was always a blush on his face when they touched like this in public, though. The sparkling man had kissed the boy under the Eiffel tower once so many years ago. Alec's face had been as red as a ripe tomato, but there was a beautiful smile on his face and that's all that counted.

The warlock was about to step on to the front stoop of his friend's building when he heard a boom followed by a crash come from inside the door. He bounded up the front steps then banged on the door.

"Maria, Are you alright in there?" He yelled in German. It was a few more moments and the sound of more objects falling before the door opened on its own accord.

"Yeah!" She yelled from some part of the house. "I'm in the kitchen. Tried a new potion and it didn't turn out so well. Please, come in."

Magnus walked through the thresh hold, closing the green door behind him. He could her giggling through all the smoke. He refrained from coughing. Maria was standing next to the island in her white, French style kitchen. Her hands on her hips and the biggest amused smile placed nicely on her face. The island was covered in various herbs and liquid substances in vials all covered in some type of purple goop, bubbling in the center of it all.

"Are you going to do something about that?" He drawled.

"Maybe later. It looks to pretty right now to get rid of."

Magnus opened the window over the sink from his position across the room in the doorway. "Why is there smoke?"

"Oh, it blew up in flames a minute ago." She waved her hand dismissively, "Also it was light blue. Do you think it's supposed to smell like that?"

"No Dearie, I don't think it is." A drop of dark purple goop dropped off from the side closest to him. Once it hit the white tiled floor, it stated to sizzle and turn red as it burned a hole in the floor. "Your floor is burning."

She jumped out of her slight daze and started frantically looking below her, "Where?" She cried.

"The side closest to me."

Maria walked around the island. Her eyes went bulge as she stared down at the ever deepening hole. Magnus could tell she was having one of the 'what the hell am I going to do now' moments. The one thing that amazed him about her was that she never thought about using magic to fix her problems. She was a hands on person. Knowing her, she probably laid these tiles herself, but she was one of the best witches to go to for potions. When, you know, it wasn't trying to manifest her kitchen. He snapped all the goo away, but left the hole how it was. She'd want to fix it herself later.

"Oh, thank-you. Why do I never remember that I can do that?"

"Because, Darling," He said walking over to her, giving her hug and a kiss on the cheek," your feet are actually planted on the ground unlike the rest of us who are hanging in the clouds like Mary Poppins." They both laughed.

"Speaking of living in the clouds," She started as they walked down the hall to the drawing room, and took a seat across each other on the antique couch and lounger." How have you and the hubby been doing? Anything exiting happening lately?"

"Well, I bought my cat a new bed, "Maria rolled her eyes, but smiled none the less, "Alexander is in Alicante with his soon to be father brother."

"Oh really, what's his name is going to have a baby?"

"Yes, his wife Clary is due in a couple of weeks, making Jace –that's his name- more of an annoyance to deal with, which is quite hard to do at his level of fomenting people. He's not happy until you're not happy"

"You don't get along with the in-laws well do you?"

"No, it's mostly just Jace. His sister is happy for us, though she is still in her on again off again relationship with the daylighter so she doesn't have much to say in that department."

"What about his parents? How did they take your relationship with the baby and all? I bet they weren't too happy to hear that you knocked up their nineteen year old."

Magnus squirmed a little in his seat. After the baby went missing there wasn't any real reason to keep it a secret. It wasn't like they were going to hide their daughter for forever. They were going to take her into the public eye eventually and tell people they were her fathers and let them get from that what they will, but only people he really knew and trusted knew they had a baby at one point He knew it hurt Alec to talk about his parents. Whenever Isabelle mentioned where one of them was or what they were up to, He could always that little flinch his hand would make. Magnus knew that the little boy still inside of him wanted nothing more than to run into his mommy's arms and be held by her, for her to be there for him when he needed her, not to push him as far away as possible when he needed his mother more than ever. Needed her advice and understanding when he had no idea what to do or expect with the child growing inside him.

"Yeah… They didn't like that very much. Alexander and his mother had a bit of a falling out when he told her about… the baby."

"Oh, I'm sorry. That must have been hell to go through." She leaned back in her seat, "I can't believe we've never had this conversation before."

"Let's see, the last time I was here you were about off your rocker with all that stress."

"Don't remind me."

"And the time before that I was busy getting married."

She laughed "Ah yes, that was one wedding reception I have to admit. With your taste in parties and the large amount of ex-lovers it was definitely an interesting night. Though, the ceremony was very sweet. I'd never been to a shadowhunter wedding. You'd think with all the help I give those ungrateful butt kissers around here I'd be invited to one. I like weddings; it's always fun to see what the in-laws do to each other."

"Yes, that is quite fun, but Alec doesn't need to know about all the ex-lovers. Ever. He's the jealous type. I just told him that they were downworlders just being downworlders."

"And he believed that?"

"He's a Lightwood, remember? He may have more downworlder friends then nephilim, but that's just how he was raised. That we're an unruly, untruthful lot of freaks."

"He's not completely wrong on that note." She lifted her red fox tail from behind her. "A lot of us aren't all that trustworthy. I wouldn't trust the high witch of Berlin for the life of me."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah, I think WWII did something to her brain." Maria twirled her finger near her head. "What did you need, anyhow? You sounded hesitant when you called earlier? Is everything alright?"

Magnus leaned forward, resting his chin on his knuckles. "I want to know everything you know about the faerie Fredrick."

o.O.o

_Stupid, stupid girl. Too big a mouth. Need to restrain emotions better, or get rid of them all together. No, still need some…regrettably. Bay thought as she stared out the library window, Why didn't I think of a better tactic instead of simply lying then to make matters worse start telling this 'Alec' person about my lack of names and what It is I am going to buy. He acted different then most would in that position. Used to this kind of thing -old hat to him. Lives in a bad part of town? No, accent, posture, clothing –though worn with age, have been cared for gently- all indicate money. The son of an institute ambassador. He doesn't seem to have any indication of drug use, so not a rich boy gone druggie, though he does smell of incense. Doesn't seem like one to enjoy fragrances. Old enough to be married, but I could not see any marriage runes under his jumper. To awkward when talking with me to have children and he's not used to looking down. So she's taller than his six foot plus frame. Odd, but wouldn't make any difference in his approach. Uses bow and arrow for hunting more than any other weapon: more in the back lines then, but it still doesn't explain why he is different. He lacks that… that complacent nature most nephilim drown themselves in. But why…_

"Miss Bay, you have been staring out that window for the past twenty minutes. Your paragraphs are not going to translate their selves."

Bay looked up at Mr. Phineas at his large ornate desk- he was reading a book- then down to her smaller desk. Her work papers were covered in Latin, Greek, French, and German phrases that she had to translate to English. Only half of the work had been completed and written neatly in her pink notebook before her thoughts carried her elsewhere. It wasn't like her to let her mind wonder during lessons. She'd kept her concentration early that evening when Mr. Westing went over different rock formations and introductions to algebra. All simply boring. She even kept it while studying her vocabulary words, but her body was getting more anticipated with every passing moment. If everything turned out as planned, she'd have her dad's information and possibly if those bureaucratic imbeciles thought to put info on the man he shacked up with and got pregnant by her father's name by tonight.

"Is something on your mind?" He continued.

"No, Sir, I just feel a bit under the weather." Half lie.

He looked up from his book. "You're still sick? Do you have any idea as to why you've been sick this entire summer?"

This was something Bay didn't like discussing. Her summer was spent inside the apartment eating soup and having a blanket covering her shoulders at all times. She had lived for the trips to the grocery store, and the couple weeks of summer intensive at the dance school, though she had to hide the urge to grab her spinning head after all the turns. In the back of her ever consuming mind, she knew something was wrong, but her pride kept her from saying anything other than the occasion symptom. That was only when someone asked. She had thoughts on the matter, but nothing conclusive. The girl told him so.

Mr. Phineas looked at her for awhile more, tapping his fingers across the wood table.

"Symptoms?"

"Sore-throat, headache and occasion dizziness." Bay answered automatically.

Another moment. "Come here."

She stood up and rounded her desk, now standing in front of his. He reached across and placed his hands on her neck. She bit back a hiss when he pushed his fingers into her lymph nodes.

"Swollen." He tsk'd, "Lift your arms."

She did as commanded and he pushed his fingers there thru her tight sweater, causing the same reaction from her.

"Also swollen." She dropped her arms, waiting for further instruction. Mr. Phineas grabbed a small, glass bottle from inside his coat pocket. It may only be able to hold two ounces, but what those ounces contained sent freezing cold droplets of fear down her spine. "I want you to start taking this again, but Sarah is not to know about this."

Of course Sarah wasn't going to know. She had fought so hard to stop all the pills and this… drink. It did things to Bay sometimes. She'd snap at the easiest thing. It created a dark cloud in her. Her body felt more on edge for days after every dose. She only had to take it weekly, but by the seventh day she craved that bitter taste more then anything. To only feel the burn as it flowed to her stomach. The only reason she was allowed off it was because she was inches away from pushing Peter down the stairs. It was one of those rare times when the girl was wrong, and Peter felt the need to rub it in her face as he was leaving. She had taken the potion earlier that day and it was coursing through her veins. Her body started to get away from her. All she wanted to do was smash his face into the concrete to show him who was better. It was like another darker version of her was coming out of the grave, grasping on to any fiber it could reach to resurrect itself from the inside of her body. It was hard to remember what had happened exactly, but Bay knew it had felt so good. That's why when Sarah grabbed the child's body to hers, Peter yelling a 'See-ya later, Bay' as he ran down the steps none the wiser, she cried into the woman's frame scared of what she almost did and of she was becoming.

It turned out that the people controlling her life- the same people that allowed her to sit in on restricted meetings and tell them what she deduced from the people she was there to watch, while still grasping what the speakers were discussing- were slowly adding more drugs to the mix. More demon drugs. The kind that enhanced the body and mind while slowly killing away who you are. The withdrawal had taken longer then they thought it would. It was hell to go through. Bay felt like she was trying to rip herself in two. Part of her fighting to remain calm and continue with life, the other screaming to get what was hers. What gave her that tingling sense of energy she so craved. Made her feel powerful.

"Why am I taking that again? I thought it gave unsatisfactory results."

"We want to see if this will boost your immune system. It is a lot weaker then your other doses, but I still want you to take it weekly." He held it out over the desk, "Got it?"

"Yes, Sir." She grabbed the dark purple bottle and popped the cork, downing it in one go. As the liquid traveled down her throat, Bay couldn't help but think that maybe this could come in handy. The power it gave her mind and the lack of illness would be exceptionally helpful this week. It was perfect timing. Tonight she'd extract everything she could from his file, and get to look for him tomorrow night at the ball. Everyone went to the balls hosted at the Accords Hall. Even she got to go to most of them. It was an odd happenstance that she was allowed to go to events. The places she was allowed to go were some places that most adults weren't allowed to enter without official permission, but the only places she was allowed to go were out shopping, Peter's house, school, and the Accords Hall. Even then she wasn't supposed to be in certain areas of this building.

She put the cork back and handed him back the glass bottle.

"If your swelling isn't gone by tomorrow morning, have Sarah look at it." He said, pocketing it.

"Yes, Sir." The girl sat back at her desk, working with a new vigor to finish her work.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Out of all the things Magnus missed about the early years of his life, bush whacking was not one of them. The air was nice, but branches hitting him in the face were not. This was the first time in a good couple hundred years he'd done anything close to this. Using a portal was his top choice of transportation when traveling to a distant place, but he could only use that when he knew what the place he was going too looked like. The only visual idea he had was a cottage on Mt. Kandel in Germany. The closest he could get with a portal was from a picture of a couple on one of the trails a few miles south from his destination.

The Black woods were notorious for the fairy tales originating here. The stories never seemed to be far off from the truth. King Midas, Snow White, the fisher man and his wife: all real stories –fates- of people who had once lived in these woods. They were just commercialized to fit what was acceptable for mundane fantasies. Fairies flitted around him every once in a while, complimenting him and playing with his colorful hair just to get him to play along then leaving with the most ugly expressions on their face when he waved them off. The warlock did it in the most polite manner. It wouldn't help him to let news got to the one fairy he wanted to see that he'd been throwing his people around.

Nature sprites and nymphs were tolerable. When Magnus came into view they'd stop splashing in the streams and turn into a tree or bush or whatever foliage they felt like. He could always hear their giggles behind him. Centaurs tended to stay deeper in the forest where the trees were biggest and the spaces between them less narrow so the chance of him getting run over was slim. Not that that had happened before or anything. It was noon already, dictating any demons to stay in hiding until night fall. The forest was teeming with life. Every where he turned, there was some type of movement in the bushes. Dwarfs were scurrying off to their work in the mines. Some of the materials were sent to Idris to be used in the making of steles and blades. If he were to travel west, he'd make it to Idris' border before tomorrow. There had to be a village somewhere near. Maybe he would stay the night in an inn, considering with the time change it was his time to sleep. After his call with Alec yesterday, he'd spent the rest of the afternoon finishing the potions he had started just before Alec called, and thinking about the future. It was, in his experience, not the best thing to think about when you lived forever, but most of his thoughts were on his beloved and what he wanted.

Alec was human. With all the wants and needs every human has. He was strong and tough- a rock when need be-, but he was soft and delicate to handle. Things that didn't hurt him hurt Alexander easily emotionally. He'd put on the best façade he had, but his eyes always gave him away. At least to the warlock they did. He could see the beneath the glances his shadowhunter gave Clary's abdomen. Alexander was so happy for his brother. He was the first person Jace told. It probably had to do with the fact that Alec hadn't told him about his own pregnancy sooner. That was something the nephilim regretted, and given a second chance, would change. He made sure to include Jace more in his life. He loved his family more than anything –excluding his husband- and would fight the world to keep them safe, but they were slowly growing away from him. That was the top reason Magnus never wanted his love immortal. He never wanted Alec to go the pain of watching the people he knew and loved grow old and die. No matter what Magnus did he'd never be able to fill that part of his heart, and there wasn't their little heart filler with them to keep that place at, well, at bay.

Stuck in his head, Magnus almost missed his next landmark. He would have noticed eventually seeing as in three more steps he would have walked face first into the boulder. He looked up. There was the tree he needed to turn him in the right direction. The tree had a sort of power emanating from it. Little golden flecks of light floated through the branches. It was shaped somewhat like an arrow head pointing to his right and up. North east. That was his last marker. Fredrick's home should be just over the hill. When he made the rest of the climb up, he saw that the trees thinned on the descent. Magnus could see a small valley tucked between the mountains. There was the cottage right in the middle. The sun now behind the mountains cast a shadow over the place, the chimney smoke was dark above the trees, making the air smell of burning wood, some of the branches had started turning brown already, but there wasn't a sense of foreboding hovering around the area. He took that as a good sign and started his walk down the hill.

He was about to rap on the door when a short, burly man opened it instead.

"What do you want?" He rasped, a permanent scowl on his face. Magnus had to look down considerably. He was able to easily see the top of the fairy's white-haired head. With the wrinkles, jutted bones, hunched posture, and tattered clothing he looked more like an old elf then a fairy. He must have taken too long to answer because he asked again, but with more force and a comment about letting the cold air in.

"I have a business proposition for you." His gray eyes seemed to brighten before he stuck his head out the door to see if anyone was watching.

"Come in- quickly now. The last thing I want is for you to have to stay the night, what with all goblins sneaking around at night." He quickly shut the door behind the warlock, gesturing to one of the wooden chairs by the fire. They both sat down across from each other. "You don't see many of your kind in these woods now-a-days. What do have for me?"

"It's not what I have for you as much as what I can do for you."

"I'm listening."

"All I want is a simple spell from you and in return I am willing to do almost any task you want."

He perked up at this. A feral smirk spread across his face. "Anything you say?"

"Almost anything. I will do you a deed, I will do it as soon as possible and you will keep your end of our bargain, but in no way do I want this to affect me in the future."

"What is it you want exactly?" He paused in a fit of coughs, "I have many talents that could be useful to you." He wheezed, reaching for his tea on the side table and raised it to his lips.

"Fertility."

Fredrick stopped mid-sip and raised a brow questioningly, "When one asks me for that it's usually a desperate woman wanting a son."

"I hope you don't think of me as a desperate woman."

"You dress like a girl."

"You're wearing a potato sac."

He looked like he was about to give the taller man a warning, but a smile slowly spread across his face; his eyes full of mischief

"You're Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn. You're the one who got that Nephilim boy pregnant."

The warlock stiffened, "How do you know that?"

Fredrick laughed, it sounded crackly and almost painfully, "I have spies in the Seelie court. You should know by now that he can't bare another child. Not even I could help you with that. It has been set in sto- oh. Oh..." He was positively giddy now, "You- you want to give birth. Oh, the things I could get you to do."

It was now that Magnus started to regret ever coming here as the fairy grinned wide, showing all his crooked black teeth. There was a flash of something before he stood up and paced the dirty, wooden floor.

"You know, I didn't always look like this. "He said, gesturing to himself, "I had golden hair, deep brown hair, and a strong tree barked body. Not this hunched wobbly being I have become. All over some excuse a troll made to take every bit of nature she could from me. Now I'm only this mundane bundle of skin and bones. "He was seething by this point, "You know what I want you to do for me? I want you to find Aurora and get my magic back. She lives in some cave in the north-west mountain region. She's got a reputation for being for being very powerful. I haven't been able to get past her wards. If you get into here layer and find this jar, "Above the fairy's hand was a projection of a blue jar decorated with golden vanes, "I will fulfill my end and give you the ability to become pregnant this once. Any other time you'd have to work for it, and, frankly, if I didn't want what is rightfully mine back, I wouldn't let another one of that sub-species you and your fag started roaming this world."

"We don't know that. If you have spies then you should have an idea as to why I'm asking for this particular request." Magnus knew he was prodding, but he couldn't help it. No business was more important than the possibility of getting information on his daughter. This man hated the Seelie just queen just as much as he did. With his emotions running aloft, Fredrick might leek something he could use. The court wasn't giving the warlock anything helpful. He barely got an answer when he stormed in the court demanding to know if they had any doing in her disappearance. He knew all about the figure in front of him. Control made him happy, and questioning it would no doubt push him. So that's what Magnus did.

"You'd think with all the connections your kind has, you would know if Bay –A simple little girl- was alive or not and where she might be."

"There is nothing simple about any child that came from you." He walked over to Magnus and leaned down, dropping his voice considerably, "You would know if anything happened to her, wouldn't you? I'd be surprised if you didn't know if she is still walking amongst us." He had pushed back, but the fairy didn't crack. If anything he grew stronger. He'd gotten Magnus into a more desperate state; given him enough to keep asking for more, but he couldn't scream at him asking what he meant. He wouldn't let himself get bested. He'd dealt with the fae more them he'd like to admit, and he knew how to keep up in their never ending game. Magnus stood up gingerly, careful not to startle the jittery man

"The where-a-bouts or lack thereof of my daughter isn't of any concern now. We both know each other's wishes." Magnus opened his right hand slowly. A piece of paper uncurled downward. "I believe you will find everything in order. Just sign on the dotted line." With his left hand the warlock held out a pen with the logo of the local coffee joint on it. Fredrick grabbed both. His scowl deepened the more he read, no doubt noticing the improbability of this later biting the younger of the two in the ass. Reluctantly, though, he signed. The paper and pen disappeared with the sound of the snap.

"You better hold up your end, Bane. I'm not someone you want to mess with. I want this to be kept quiet between us. I don't particularly like the idea of you –a man- giving birth. It's not natural, but who am I to judge. Seen weirder, done weirder. I believe our business here is concluded for now."

The host walked him to the door as they spoke their formalities and he was told where the nearest lodging was. Before the door was shut, Magnus spoke just as he was turning to walk away on the dirt path.

"By the way, it's The Magnificent Magnus Lightwood, High Warlock of Brooklyn."

The smell of dead fish and herbs was still as pungent in his room as it was outside. Apparently, the market place down the road had a special on salmon, and the people were enjoying their dinner. Or maybe some weren't considering the fact that a woman had dumped the stuff out her window missing Magnus by a foot, but still it splattered on his pants. He doubted he'd be able to get the stink out. Places like this never seemed to change. Though the world evolved around them, there would always be washer woman throwing garbage out of windows, filthy children hitting each other with sticks, and ancient swears from one old man to the other ringing in the air. It was nice to be in a place where downworlders mostly got along together without shadowhunter interfering at every turn. If problems happened they'd either fight it out or take it to the mayor.

New York didn't have the variety of species the little villages scattered throughout the woods had. He never saw a tree elf or a talking gopher in the city. One thing about places like this was that the people here were short- excluding the centaurs, but there were stables for them- and the place was made for that. If Magnus straightened his legs, his feet hung over the edge. The ceiling was barely a foot above him. He had asked for the nicest room, but even then this mattress was going to kill his back in the morning.

The warlock had been laying there for what seemed like hours. There really wasn't any way to check. The longer he stayed awake the less time he'd get to sleep. He had asked the inn keeper to wake him early the next morning. He would have left that night to stake out Aurora territory, he needed the rest. There were many reasons affecting this need. The smell and the shouts from the drunkards in the tavern below his room were an impact, but his thoughts anchored him from drifting off to sleep. Maria had told Magnus about Fredrick the last time he was there with her. A couple she was friends with had problems conceiving and had heard about a man that lived in the black woods specializing in that kind of thing. There wasn't better. He learned that anything the Seelie queen had a hand in, the fairy hated. With the majority of his power being taken from him by a witch doctor of sorts troll he was less likely to pull something. The warlock had figured Fredrick want his power back. SO before hand he had written the contract down, leaving no spot for a loop hole.

There was also that pecking thought Fredrick put in his head. He'd know if something bad happened to his little girl. Did that mean he'd have this sense that she really was dead? That the people who took her… really had killed her? It wasn't a thought any father wanted to think. He had dreams about his childhood more often than he had in years, but instead of him getting beat it was Bay. He wouldn't be surprised if tonight he another one of those dreams. It only happened twice, but he felt almost like he'd used some of his power without really using it. As if someone else was using the tiniest bit for all of a second. Also his throat seemed a little thick, but Magnus couldn't find anything wrong with himself. He figured it was just the lack of food and sleep, but he couldn't dawdle on these thoughts anymore. He had an exciting day ahead of him.

Phillip's head.

Phillip's head.

Another God-damned Phillip's head.

Bay chucked the umpteenth screwdriver into the bin none to gently. She was standing in front of the discount bins in the middle of the aisle. There were different types of razor blades to left and hinges of all shapes and sizes to the right. Simple little things every handy man would need to complete his jobs. The sign of this container read 'Assorted screwdrivers, 60% off' then different prices depending on currency. In her case it would cost her 1.75 $. Counting sales tax, her money should be enough to by one. Idris had a universal currency system. You could buy an ice cream cone with rupees or the most common around here: the euro.

Almost subconsciously, she pulled out her two dollar bills from her black sweat pants. Her thumb slowly unfolded the bills. The first American president stared almost sadly at her. Various things about the dollar floated through her mind. The ink never dried, in some you could see the residing presidents face in the background if held up to the light. (She couldn't check if this dollar worth did with the poor florescent lighting six feet above her.), and laid between the all-seeing eye and their nations seal were the words 'In God we trust". Reluctantly, she put them into her pocket and got back to the task at hand.

It was simple to sneak out of her apartment. After putting Bay to bed at 7:30, Sarah would usually shut herself in her room to finish any paperwork that needed to be completed. The girl had perfected the art when she learned of the secret rooms floors beneath her. She always left a letter on her bed behind the mound of blankets, telling her guardian where she was and approximately when she would get back. Even tonight she wrote that she'd go here, pick-up peter from his home, then down to the Vaults. If all went well, it wouldn't take an hour. She'd never left the accords hall though, and, frankly, it unnerved her to be out here.

It was 9:15 now- fifteen minutes till closing time. Most of her time spent here was used looking at looking at the lumber, staring at the grains and figuring out which wood was going to decay faster under different circumstances. To anybody else Bay was looked just a curious little girl feeling the texture of the wood, but it wasn't like that at all.

The girl was high.

She was drugged-up as much as the crack heads on the streets. Every minuscule detail was painfully obvious. She could see the diverse marks left by the insects that had trailed along the boards. The filaments in the lit light bulbs were visible without having to focus her eyes. The conversation on the other end of the store between the shop keeper and a customer could be heard word for word. She could remember every price tag her eyes scanned over through her walk around. It was a different type of drug than most. There was no crash when the dosage ran its course. It was a slow process coming down. Now was the highest she'd get for the remainder of the week. The thing was if she didn't get her dosage when she needed it, she reacted. Badly. And there was no way she was going through another withdrawal.

Her body felt better than it had in months. It didn't seem to make her body physically stronger but her emotional instability or in other words how easy it was to anger her seemed to do that in itself, which was why bay was poking a hole through the wooden table with the tip of a Phillip's head. Deciding it was a lost cause, she threw the tool back in the box. There was no point in getting worked up. It would only make everything harder to handle and easier to push her off the edge.

The last thing Bay liked was to need help. If avoidable, she'd ignore help no matter how difficult the task was, but the only other screwdrivers were packaged and worth more money then she had.

There were seven minutes left now. If she didn't go up to the front now she'd have to wait. There was no way she was waiting. The girl would get any information on her dad tonight and decide from there what she wanted to do. So with every ounce of dignity she felt she needed, the blue-eyed beauty strode to the other side of the shop.

Upon seeing the girl, the owner stopped the conversation with the other man.

"Well, hello there, little lady. Isn't it past your bed time?"

The man was definitely from the south. Lived in Norfolk, Virginia- on the naval yard for most of his life. Both parents were in the navy. Early forties, married ten- no, fifteen years, no children, and wife owns catering business. Nothing seemingly interesting. Same with his companion. Born west of here to Indian parents. Works as a contractor. Late thirties. Not married, but in a long relationship with an Asian woman (Much to his parent's grief).

"Yes sir, it is." Marten Schneider- as his name tag read- raised his eye brows. "I was wondering where I could acquire a cheap flathead screwdriver."

"There's some in a bin that way. He pointed in the direction Bay had just come.

"I looked there already. I couldn't find any."

The man looked thoughtful for a moment while he scratched his stubbly chin. "How much money you got there?"

"Two American dollars." He nodded then ducted under the counter, presumably looking for something.

The contractor standing next to her started to speak.

"Where'd you get that money?"

"A friend gave it to me." She said indignantly.

"Hey, no need to get defensive. May I see them?" Wordlessly she handed the bills to him just as Mr. Schneider stood-up.

"I'm sorry, there isn't any back here and I can't think of anywhere else they'd be."

Bay clenched her fists, trying not to lose her self control. A few light bulbs flickered randomly around her. There wasn't a way in the world that she was going to wait another night. Not when she was this close. She was prepared to get the lock picking kit from home, and break into the next nearest hardware store, leaving the money on the counter when she left not empty handed.

"You know, "Started the construction worker, "my girlfriend collects currencies. I don't think she has American money. How about, I trade you one of mine for these."

He held them in front of her, forming a 'v'.

"I'll accept that offer gratefully." Bay answered politely, but inside she was sighing in relief. It was a definite weight off her shoulders. It felt like this man opened an obstacle for her. That maybe stealing and planning trespassing weren't going to keep this sinking feeling in her chest forever or maybe it was a sort of sign to finish this to the end. Not that she believed in that sort of nonsense. No, not at all.

The man rummaged through one of his jean pockets before pulling out a small, red-handled flathead and gave it to her impatient hands.

"Thank-you, Sir." She said holding the tool close to her.

"You're welcome. Now get home to bed. Angel knows what your parents are thinking now." Bay wanted to know too. She simply shrugged and said her good-byes to the Nephilim men. She left with her head held high. She'd have the rest of the night to memorize every piece of information on Alexander Lightwood. Bay was teeming with excitement.


	8. Chapter 8

Sheets, having been pushed off the girl's bed for more important matters, lay scattered on the floor. Sitting with her back on the pillow clad headboard, Bay continued to flip through various yellow colored papers. She had gone through most of it; every paper she finished was stacked neatly across the bed according to importance. Test scores and fighting skills weren't all that important to her (A smile did creep up on her face when she saw his high academic scores, though). She wanted to know lineage, looks, personality, age, place of birth, and location now. Anything she could use to identify him or find someone who could possibly know him. It seemed that finding anyone who knew him would be quite difficult. The man hadn't been in Alicante since the war against Valentine. By now any person he knew would probably be dead by now or died in battle then. It was a great relief to see that Alexander Gideon wasn't deceased.

There were some physical features listed, but no picture anywhere. That was odd. Even her folder had a picture of her in it with and without the cat eyes. Bay had gotten in serious trouble when one of her tutors saw her looking through it. It wasn't fair. She hadn't even got past the first page before it was snatched from her hands. It had taken half a minute just to get over seeing herself with those eyes.

Her dad had blue eyes, and brown hair. The height written hadn't been updated since he was young. He was born in Idris, but moved to New York after his parents got banned from their home land because they were in the Circle up till the very end. The girl had a scary thought run through her mind. She knew the punishment for the crime her grandparents had committed was death. Treason against the clave was taken beyond seriousness. She was surprised they didn't kill them almost immediately. Alexander had to have been born by that time. Bay was always good at connecting the dots. Her dad was most likely the only reason they were running an institute and not dead.

New York. She looked at the papers in her hands. He lived on the other side of the globe in a world famous city -the giant pineapple or something near that. Anything she knew of the place was what her guardian had told her, having spent some time there on an exchange trip. It was a city of millions of people, of fashion, and of different cultures all wrap into one unit. It fascinated her in a way only a child could possess, and she was born there. She's an American. Bay groaned, leaning in to her pillows, knowing that Sarah would get a kick out of that little fact.

Her Dad wasn't in America. He was here, sleeping… dreaming…. Did he ever think about her? Now not long after her birthday yet years later. Was it he who gave her away? Did he take one look at her only see her other half- the cat eyes and no bellybutton? Did he ever lo-

She had to stop herself there, before the tears really started. She had to put down the remaining papers down to be able to wipe her eyes with both hands. Bay needed to calm done. She was tired, hungry -but food wasn't agreeing with her stomach at the moment-and her throat still hurt. With the added emotional details, it was just getting harder for her. Never once had she given second thought about her biological parents. Now they were all she seemed to think about and so far nothing helpful was coming out of her search. If anything it made it more confusing. The file said that Alexander never married. That didn't add up in her young mind. The girl knew where babies came from. She didn't know all the details, but the idea was set. Sarah had told her that only people who loved each other had babies and people in love got married. So why wasn't he? Unless she wasn't anticipated. There had to be another factor to make her. Warlocks were sterile and men didn't give birth. Sarah had mentioned something about faeries the one night. That was a very possible case. The fae were known for that kind of thing, but in this situation they'd have to be an older being to have the power to give one cell and change another to create her. Her existence probably broke at least one Accords law, but it didn't matter how she was placed on this earth. Festering over thoughts on human existence weren't going to help the girl get anywhere.

The search was giving her nothing easily useable. Unless she got lucky and heard someone talking about New York or knowing one who lives there visiting, she'd have to look deeper. Bay was already scraping the bottom of the barrel as it was. Without her father's name there may possibly be no way to find him. It wasn't odd for a warlock to disappear completely a couple decades for whatever reasons come to a warlock's mind. Maybe Bay herself was enough to set him off. It seemed like probable scenario. He finds out that he got her dad pregnant and runs. Like in those romance novels Sarah hides in her room (They aren't hers, they were her grandmother's.), but in the end the lead male role always comes back. Downworlders were very possessive, especially of their young. If her father had known about her -even if Alexander didn't want her- It would take hell to get her from the warlock. Unless he didn't know about her. It didn't matter though. She'd still find him. Her possessiveness came from him, and even without knowing the man, he was hers.

There were odd little reports in the section she was reading a moment ago. They were of her dad's progress in pregnancy starting at five months and ending a month before her birth where it read that it was catalogued under 'Bay'. Sentences like 'Alexander shows obviously at six months' and 'He seems to be having cravings for vegetables lately' were posted weekly. It mentioned being seen with his sister (Isabelle) or adopted brother (Jonathan), but her father was identified only as 'the warlock'. Evidentially the man did know of her as he was seen often with the nephilim. When she meets him –and she will- it should be less of a shock. She lifted the papers from her lap to continue reading, but stopped when a large post it fell from between the sheets. Her eyes widened when she saw what was written.

Alexander Lightwood was believed to be impregnated by the High Warlock Magnus Bane. All information on the child is on a restricted file.

Nothing else was written, but it was enough. Bay now had a name. A full name and a title. Now all she had to do was talk to Malachi and, with a mouth as big as his, she'd have enough to find him. All she'd have to do was wait.

...

The sun was flickering through the trees as he walked down the dirt road, stinging his eyes every once in a while. Magnus was just as tired as he was last night, and the need for a shower grew. He'd allowed himself the small usage of his remaining power to change into some clean clothes, but it wasn't worth losing the remainder of his magic to make the bathing shack behind the inn less of a pig sty. By the end of the day he'd be back in his own bed. The mattress made for his sensitive back. He only had to live through back pain until all pain receptors were focused on the stinging on the back of his head. He whirled around about ready to throw a rock at whoever hit him with one. Standing in front of him was an elf boy no older than eleven looking up fearfully at the warlock's angry face.

"I'm so sorry, sir." He begged in an old German tongue, "I didn't mean to hit you, sir. I was aiming at a squirrel. Please don't turn me into a squirrel…sir."

Magnus had to bite back a harsh reply. The dirty, red-headed child looked very close to tears. "Why shouldn't I turn you into an animal? I haven't had anything good to eat in almost two days. What do you think? Lamb cabob or a nice steak? I'm thinking steak."

If possible he looked more horrified. "I can get you food -good food or help you find where you need to go." He stuttered, "I explore the forest all the time, even when my mom tells me not to because it's dangerous, but I don't listen so I know tons of short cuts. Please don't hurt me. Basil messed with a witch and she turned him into a rabbit. He ran into the woods. No one has seen him since." The last part came as a squeak.

"And you think I'm going to do that to you?"

He didn't answer.

Magnus picked at his finger nails, feigning boredom. Without doing a thing he had the boy right in his hands. That could be quite useful. "North east of here lives a witch doctor of sorts." He started walking away, gesturing for the boy to follow. "It's a rather far journey to get to the mountainous region if I climb over that mountain." He pointed off into the distance where the tree covered mount was visible. "Is there any quicker options to get me to the troll's domain?"

The boy caught up to him, seemingly getting more comfortable. "Oh, yes, there is a bridge over a chasm run by the trolls-"

"No."

"That's- wait, no?"

"I need to go unannounced. Is there a pass anywhere else."

"Um… no pass, but there are small caves on the east side that go through, I think."

"You think?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, "I've never actually gone far into them, but I heard that if you follow the footsteps left on the cave floor you get to the more 'residential area'."

"Can you take me there now?"

"Well, I guess I can."

"Good. Meet me at the edge of the village by the river. You have twenty minutes." When the elf didn't move, Magnus made a shooing motion with his hands. "Go, I'm not paying you to stand there."

He didn't need to be told again.

...

"Since it looks like we'll be spending the day together," Began the red head, "we might as well get to know each other."

"No." Stated the Warlock as he held his torch farther out in front of him. The two had long since passed the rays of light entering the tunnels carved into the rock. It had to be midmorning by now. When the elf child arrived at the river, he had packed enough to fill a pack each. The older had to give it to him. The boy was turning out to be quite helpful. He had cut the travel time in half. All in all, the trip so far had been agreeable. The only mishap had come when a group of dwarfs had passed by. They had to put out their torch lights out and duck into a crevice seconds before the group walked by with shovels and picks. Magnus had to use more of his magic to light them again. If he didn't get some sleep and real food soon, he wouldn't be able to do much.

"You say no a lot."

"Only to you, darling."

The boy scoffed from behind him. "My names Francis Crick, what's yours?"

"Magnus."

"That's a cool name. You got a last name?"

"As far as you're concerned, no."

"And there's that word again," he tsked, "Anyway, we should be able to see light coming out on the other end soon. Then we'll be at the bottom of the mountains, I believe. I can already smell the smoke."

The child was right. With-in minutes the pair left the tunnels, entering a dip in between the rocky walls surrounding it. Various types of people walked from to or from work, covered in dirt and rubble. There only seemed to be a small village square visible between the trees. Minor workers did tend to live outside in hut, but in caves cut into the rock. The smoke billowed out from the chimneys of bakeries and tailors, trying to warm their business. The air was colder under the shade, especially so as the wind blowing down came from the top of the surrounding mountains. The world around him seemed to grasp at autumn. Most of the trees had started changing color or finished already. The long jacket Magnus wore barely kept him warm. The warlock and elf kept to the edge as they walked to one of the tunnel entrances. Eventually the two made it to a small plateau. At the other end pass the writings in blood on the walls and rotten animal bits were the entrance to the witch doctor's abode.

Magnus covered Francis' mouth before he could finish the story the older hadn't paid any attention to.

"Stay here. Don't move until I come back."

"But what if –" His words muffled by the warlock's hand.

"I don't care. The last thing I need is you messing this up."

The boy looked indignant. Well, as much as he could with an abundantly ringed hand wrapped across half of his face. A moment later he reluctantly nodded his acceptance. The older dropped his pack with the younger.

When Magnus entered the mouth of the cave the first thing to hit him was the over bearing smell of incense and burnt something. He could see shadows moving against the light and hear off tune humming coming from around the corner. Edging closer, so if he were to turn his head to the side he would see past the corner into her home. The troll was home and clearly awake. He only had enough magic to perform one more spell. Pass that he'd have nothing to help him. He'd be about as useful as a mundane until he got some damn good sleep. He had a basic plan. Make her fall asleep and while in slumber walk in a take the vase. And so he did it. In minutes he heard her yawn before a chair creaked under her weight.

Peaking his head around the corner, Magnus' suspicions were proven right. The lady sat in a wooden chair with her legs propped up on a table. The place was cluttered with voodoo instruments, old books, and vile filled with different substance. When he entered her home, he realized how difficult it was going to be to get around the room. The troll, Aurora, was sitting in the middle of the room. If he went to the left toward her, he'd risk bumping her. If Magnus went around the table to the right, he could hit the pile of glass jars. Still he had to find the jar his deal centered on.

The warlock soon found what he needed. It was just his luck that it happened to be on the other side of the room. The blue, delicate piece of pottery lay partly hidden by a dead black bird. Now all he had to do was cross the room. Easier said than done. Easier said than done. After a moment of hesitancy he finally chose. Working his way around scattered objects, the exhausted man walked toward the glass pyramid. He clutched his coat to himself. With every small step the jars jiggled against each other. He didn't dare turn his head to see if the woman was stirring. The container was in arms length now. With two fingers he pulled the bird away before grabbing the leafy detailed jar. The power inside emanated to his hands. All he had to do now was-

A curdling scream echoed against the walls as Magnus fell to his knees, still clutching the pottery. His entire body was filled with searing hot pain. As if someone had set a match to his insides.

"Thief, why do you steal from me? Are you as arrogant as you look to think that you could take from my possessions without getting caught? Speak!"

Magnus gasped for breath while the pain ebbed away. He should have known. There was no resiliency when he cast that spell. It hadn't worked and now he was as powerless as a human. He slowly maneuvered himself around. Aurora was standing a foot in front of him. She was barely taller than him when he was on his knees. Her limp blonde, grey hair hung in her pale, dirtied face.

"Surrounded in self-confidence, yes; Arrogant, no; and need I remind you that this isn't yours." He indicated to the jar held tight to him, not loosening his grip once.

"Of course it's mine, Warlock. Why else would I have it?"

"Maybe because you stole it in the first place. This magic doesn't belong to you. So if you would move out of my way."

His movement was stopped when another wave of power shook threw his body.

"You're not leaving anytime soon. I've been running out of bones, and coming from you they'd be worth a good price."

"What makes you think that you're going to kill me? I'm a warlock. Your magic couldn't compete with mine."

She tsked at him like a teacher would to a child. "You think I would believe your words. Your exhaustion has been made obvious. You're powerless." She whispered harshly.

Without warning Magnus jumped into the air, letting the jar fall and roll on the stone floor. He rammed his body into the troll. The both of them hit the table at an awkward angle before dropping painfully onto a pile of books. Aurora slugged him good in the jaw. He was risking serious injury fighting with a troll. Even the woman had more physical strength then the average warlock. It didn't help that the room was starting to go fuzzy. She pushed him into the floor, a stray bottle pressed into his upper back. Although she was substantially shorter than him, her body weighed more than his. The warlock Charlie-horsed her and before she recovered he smashed her head into a table leg.

Glass broke somewhere behind him. Just as he was going to land a fist to her skull he felt something cold and slimy climb up his pant leg followed closely by more wet legs crawling in both pants now. He jumped two feet in the air, shaking his legs like crazy before they got any higher. Gooey centipede like things fell to the floor. Magnus was too busy having a bug filled panic attack to notice Aurora rising.

His body hit the built in rock book shelves with a force that almost knocked him out. Books, containers, and dissected animals rained down on him. The black bird landed directly on his lap. The room spun around his, but he forced himself to keep his eyes open. Her red lipstick looked like a bright dot on her blurry face as it seemed to move in a circular pattern. He started to feel sick.

"You may have more supernatural power than me, but you must really have a death wish if you think that you could fight me and win."

Magnus saw the energy inside her mounting. She was going to kill him. He was going to die by her hand. After lifetimes of avoiding death's close shadow this was his end. He didn't die when some of the most gruesome things had been done to him, but now when he had another depending on him. Alexander would never know what happened to him. It was that moment when he realized that he wasn't afraid of his death, but of what his beautiful blue-eyed husband would do. He'd start to worry when Magnus didn't pick up his phone, get scared when Magnus wasn't there to open the portal for him and his brother, and hysterical when Magnus wasn't home. He was an idiot for not leaving a note. Alexander would eventually die a longer more painful death because he never thought that risking his life meant risking Alec's. All to try to make him happy.

There wasn't any life flashing before your eyes (the amount of time that'd take would be long past his death), but he pictured key moments. Just to see those blue eyes, and that forever awkward, blushing face again. There he was looking at a group of young shadowhunter and the once mundane friend. The little red head showing up at his door was definitely a surprise, but his mind now was more focused on the dark haired boy unknowingly gawking at him. Then there was their first kiss and the giddy smiles, their first public kiss and the triumphant grins followed by a whispered, _I love you_. The tear stained face giving him the most terrifying and happiest news of his life. That plethora of emotions being born, staring at him with curious blue eyes then the agony of losing that. The sound of champagne glasses clinking in the distance as he danced with his newly betrothed. Magnus Lightwood closed his eyes not in fear of pain but in shame, waiting for the pain to take him to death…

A thud sounded thru the room before Magnus tipped over when a sudden weight fell on him. The troll lay unconscious over him. Looking up he was met with the frightened stare of the elf boy, Francis, holding a large stick. Relief flooded through him as he pushed the limp body off of him and slowly stood up.

"God, didn't I tell you to wait outside? And where the hell did you get a stick that size?" He asked wiping the blood from his lip. The world seemed a bit clearer now, but it hurt to talk.

Fredric startled out of his momentary haze, "Oh, haven't you realized yet that I don't listen well, and I packed it. You have one too. It's magical see?" he pushed both ends in together like a telescope until it was a third of its original size.

"When I was your age I played with normal sticks. Probably would have wanted a magic stick," he mused. He started kicking things around looking for the delicate jar.

Francis looked at the body of the troll frighteningly, "Is she dead?"

"Probably not, but I wouldn't get close enough to check if I was you."

That was both an intimidating and relieving answer. Being in this overstuffed room was taunting his slight claustrophobia, and the dead animals weren't helping his case in anyway. He started shifting uncomfortably. Kicking his legs around, he bumped a vase like thing setting it rolling toward the warlock. Magnus turned around when it hit his ankle. He picked the pottery up and with a satisfied nod began to make his way to the door

"If you want to take something do it now," Magnus instructed. "No, maybe you shouldn't. She could possibly track you with it."

"I'd hate to see the guy who ever stole from you," Francis said, following close behind.

"Only if he gets caught."

By mid-afternoon Magnus had sent his guide home with pay and instructions to procure a witch for him to open a portal. He was now standing in the middle of the fairy's cabin. Fredrick was doing a combination and finding ingredients from different shelves and doing what seemed to be a type of happy dance. He'd already placed his magic back in his body and Magnus could already see the difference. His body looked less jutted and his back was straightening out. His skin was darkening into a mahogany and changing into a bark like texture. The previously white hair was turning blond while the beard began to shrink into his face. Fredrick felt the exact opposite of the warlock. The bruises were darkening and sore (especially on his arms and back of his head) when touched. His concussion was down to a head now. If he were to sit down he wouldn't be able to get back up.

The fairy was mixing ingredients in a simple wooden bowl. Most were simple fertility components familiar to him, but others he couldn't recognize. Different more colorful liquids were added here and there. Unlike the Seelie queen, who only had to touch him, Fredrick needed to make a potion. It wasn't much later when he finished. Pouring the mixture into a triangular, glass bottle, he handed Magnus his potion.

"It will be strongest the first few hours after ingestion so make it a quickie." He laughed good-humouredly," This was usually the time when I'd make some comment about riding your man, but I doubt you'd care much."

Magnus slipped the bottle into his jacket pocket, "Depends on whom the comment is aimed at, but yes you're probably right. I'd most likely laugh with you. Though I believe our business here is done."

"I happen to be in a good mood. While you're here, would you like some tea?"

"No thank-you, it would be best if I left. Have to feed the cat and all."

"Yes, of course," he ushered the tired man to the door and exchanged farewells. It wasn't long before Magnus was stepping through a portal landing in his living room. He pealed his clothes off himself before he crawled into bed, and fell asleep immediately.


	9. Chapter 9

"Arms up." Sarah commanded lightly as she slipped a dress over the stubborn girl's head. "You look beautiful in that dress. I don't know why you're fighting me so much."

"Dresses are pointless. You can't move around as well. It's restricting," Bay said, tugging at the collar and buttons of her Asian styled dress, "and there is nowhere I can put my sunglasses."

"Then don't cry."

She sent the woman a glare before walking to her vanity table and picking up her hair brush, starting to detangle her damp hair.

"I don't cry." She whispered.

"Yes you do, Love, and there will be more tears to come. But that's just growing up. It's only going to get worse before it gets better." The brunette smiled softly at the girl in the mirror. She walked over, taking the brush to finish the job.

"You never cry."

"Now if you say never that means-"

"Fine, I don't remember ever seeing you cry- happy now?"

"That's all I ask. Now that I think about it I don't think I have in quite some time not since this spring. And even then I think I held it in."

Bay knows exactly what her guardian is referring to. And now it's running through her system again after Sarah had fought for it to stop. She swallowed hard out of shame, wincing at the pain it brought to her throat. Sarah noticed.

"How bad does it hurt, Bay? I swear if you didn't have that doctor's appointment tomorrow you wouldn't be going tonight. You still may not, considering that look on your face."

The girl clutched the edge of the table as Sarah started to French braid her hair. Bay had kept her promise and told her keeper about her swollen lymph nodes. No one knew about the headaches and the queasy feeling she got when she ate food. No one needed to know about that, though. It was all in her head.

"I was over exaggerating. Besides I promised Peter I would be there. He wants to try out his new toy. He called it a Nerf gun I think. He says he will need me if he gets in trouble." And I won't get a better chance to search for my dad, she added silently.

The woman laughed. "They still make them? I remember playing with those when I was a kid. The guys used to rig them."

"Most parental figures would tell me not to play with such things."

"Don't hit political figures or people less than ten years older then you. If you do than it's your fault when you get beat up."

"Understood."

Bay looked up at Sarah in mirror. She was wearing her one-shouldered, deep blue dress. In the girl eyes she looked like roman goddess- Beautiful, but intimidating, contrasting in the mirror with the innocence of the child's face and her own red dress. Her fingers weaved easily through Bay's straight hair as she worked to finish the braid. She always had her hair in some type of braid. She wouldn't wear any other hair style except a bun for ballet class. Even then it was only because she had to.

"Is there anyone you're watching tonight?" The brunette woman asked. Bay almost answered yes right away, but that wasn't what she was talking about. Sometimes her tutors gave her a little job of watching a certain person of interest as they called it. It was more of game to her. She and Peter would follow them around and she'd later give little notes about what they did or who they had talked to that day. It was a bit hard to do when the both of them had a limit of how far they were allowed to wonder away from Peter's home around the block and her home without parental supervision, but apparently it was an 'important job' for her tutors and the Clave.

"No." She answered and the discussion ended there.

When Sarah had tied the red ribbon to her hair, finishing the braid, they went to the living room to look for the elder's purse. This was her favorite time to be in this room. They'd turn on the antique light that rested on the grand piano, and the window on the other side of the room shined with the city light, spanning across the floor. Despite being dead center of Alicante, the room was noiseless except for the ruffling around for missing accessories. The walls and windows were sound proof. When looking out the window, as she was now, it gave you a sense of power. She loved her home. It was where she was raised. The antique furniture scattered around the flat and the bare white of her room was where she learned how to read before she could talk and toddling around grabbing books way too old for her, begging Sarah to tell what the big words meant. The people walking to the party below her had no clue this room was here. Why should they? The whole place was what Sarah called a waste of tax payer's money before they arrived there. There had only been a few men to use the extra room and they only came in past her bed time and left without breakfast. It was best that way. If people knew that her home existed then a lot of persons would want to spend the night above the Accords Hall.

Sarah must have found her purse, because she was now calling to Bay to get a move on. With one more side-ways glance out the window to the crowd below, she sauntered over to her guardian, grabbed her hand and left the flat. In minutes she'd start the more physical side of her search. It was thrilling to follow people; learn every little detail of their life and habits. She would be good as detective or politician as her educators seemed to be aiming toward that goal. Neither were her dreams though. She wanted to be professional ballerina first and foremost. Arts were an important part of development and Sarah thought she should take some dance classes to give her body something to put that never ending energy into. Ever since her first lesson at age four she'd push to be the best. Stretching until she couldn't take it anymore, working to get her gangling body to hold just the right way, and spinning on the kitchen floor until her socks wore through. All for the dream that people thought childish and unworthy of thought. She'd probably only get a few minutes of dancing with Peter before he declared it a girl thing and wanted to go play.

The pair entered the busy street, the chilly air play across their skin, but they didn't even shiver as they were used to the mountain temperatures. Her eyes adjusted to the movement all around her. Her senses were still on high alert. Not like the night before, but enough to pick up details she couldn't without other stimulants. She still felt that power inside her. Like an extension of her soul being awakened a bit earlier then it should, daunting in its own way, but promising so much more in the future. Bay was on her a-game.

Bay was now standing in the middle of the crowd watching every man walk by. Finding her dad was turning out to be a harder task than she originally thought. Blue eyes and brown hair were a common combination. Her own defense teacher had those features, but that was it. Nephilim men all seemed to have the strong muscled physic only taken away with age and an unhealthy diet. Her dad couldn't be older than Sarah, but judging peoples age was a difficult thing she just couldn't seem to master. It was just one of those things that came with age.

Peter had left her a while ago to shoot people with foam darts somewhere and Sarah was talking with important looking people not to far away. She was alone surrounded by hundreds of people. Her amount of freedom had gone down quite a bit. Her guardian was doing as told and keeping an eye on her. Usually if she stuck with her best friend they were allowed the run of the building, but her superiors weren't taking any chances that she may stumble onto her dad. Now her limit was ten feet away from Sarah. She was standing eleven.

There were people passing her with the right two features but their hair was to light or the blue in their eyes was wrong. She had to take in the fact that she may not look at all like Alexander but like the warlock, Magnus Bane. Her face had changed a lot since she was an infant. Her nose was different from the more rounded one she had originally in that baby picture of her on Sarah's nightstand. Gone were the pudgy cheeks and in return were more prominent cheek bones. Her dad wouldn't be able to look at her and see her like he last did. Maybe it was one of those you just know sorts. Seeing as she was scanning every face she could and nothing was clicking, she half hoped it wasn't.

Bay nearly jumped out of her skin when a hand grabbed her shoulder and shook her lightly.

"Peter!" She shrieked.

She spun around expecting to glare down at the slightly shorter blond boy, but instead she was met with a large black sweater. Confusingly, she looked up not recognizing the body off bat. Bay realized then that the hand was much too big to be her friend's. The man was smiling down at her. Not making fun of her for having a momentary lapse in self control though he did have a faint blush, but he was smiling like she simply made him smile. She ignored the thought and feeling of pride that came with it. Alec was starting to talk to her.

"I've called your name for awhile. Didn't you hear me, Elizabeth?"

It took her a minute realize that to him that's who she is. He's not mistaking her for someone else at all. He's simply just remembered the name she had given him.

"I-I couldn't hear you." She cringed internally at her stuttering. "I was thinking."

He smiled even bigger showing teeth now. "I wouldn't doubt that. Who's Peter?"

"My friend."

"Is that the short blonde kid that was with you the other day?"

"Yes." She answered without thought.

"I thought it was something else, whatever… you look, ah, very pretty."

The girl looked down at her clothes with disdain. "I don't like dresses. They're itchy."

He laughed, "My sister used to say that when she was your age. Now she loves dresses and skirts and things like that. I can't imagine her in anything else."

"I don't care how old I am. I will never like them." Bay said impudently.

Alec rolled his eyes, silently telling her we'll see. He stuck his hands in his pockets obviously not knowing what to say next. He looked around real quick with a confused look on his face.

"Where's your mo- I mean what's her name?"

"Sarah, her name is Sarah." She said calmly, "She's talking with some Clave members and university professors she works with, I think." She realizes what she said too late. The man has already noticed her mistake.

"I thought she owned a store? Why would she work with college professors?"

"…night job?" She knows that was probably the worse answers she has every given. Bay makes a mental note to practice how to keep up on a lie.

"Funny. I thought you'd be better at lying with how much you apparently have lied to me." He was getting mad, but also disappointed. She made him disappointed. No, no, no, he can't be upset with her. He needed to smile at her again. She was starting to panic and that little fact was making her panic more. What was so important about this nephilim that she had to make him happy?

"I didn't mean- I don't know- I thought- please don't be mad at me. I'm sor- I'm… that word. Yes, very much so."

Her eyes have to be changing by now judging by the new intensity of the lights. Knowing this she ducked her head. Her sunglasses are at home. Stupid Sarah for making her wear something without pockets, stupid her for not putting them in her guardian's purse, and stupid her for letting herself get emotional.

That's when her inhumanly observant eyes noticed a little black dot moving on the floor. A spider. Bay squeaked and all but jumped onto Alec frame and hugged him around his middle. The girl's face rubbed into his warm, black jumper, feeling well worn fabric rub against her cheeks as she tried to get that creature's image out of her head.

"What's wrong?" Alec asked, subconsciously wrapping his arms around her.

"Look down." She answered, her words mumbled against him.

"Look down at what- oh angel." He took a quick step back, dragging her along with him and tightening his grip on her. Bay could feel the pickup of the shadowhunter's heart rate and his quickened breathing as his body went through its bit of shock. Apparently Alec was afraid of spiders too, but age seemed to lesson that fear when he recovered fast. Much faster than her, considering she was still holding on for dear life.

"Oh God, that was one of the most funniest things I have ever seen you do, Alec!" A laughing voice called. She realized with a sense of dread that it was his adopted brother.

"Shut-up. You ditch me then show up at the worst possible time. You have nothing to say."

"Of course I do, what kind of brother would I be if I didn't point out your little quirks?"

"Funniest," Mumbled the girl as she let go of the older man, but still stood close, holding his jumper in her hand.

"What?" The two nephilim asked, noticing her thin form.

"You said the most funniest thing. That's wrong. The proper gramma-grammatical usage is funniest. Though I do have to give it to you, you didn't say most fun thing…I would have laughed." She said with more courage then she felt.

"Maybe that's just how we talk from where we're from, Sherlock."

It hits her like a disgusted slap to the face. Bay forgot where they came from. They lived in New York. Just like her dad. God, was she getting daft. Right in front of her were her two biggest leads and she failed to notice it until now. She'd push herself to get things done better tomorrow. She snapped her eyes up to the blond. No doubt her eyes were close enough to normal that it wouldn't be noticeable.

"Did the two of you come here with-"

"Bay!"

The girl in question jumped into Alec, clutching her stinging ear. Peter was standing right next to her, grinning like the idiot he was, she thought bitterly. Couldn't he tell that she was seconds away from getting somewhere? To top it off he had to scream in her ear. That was it, next time they played cards she was cheating. It would serve him right. She glared viciously at him wishing he'd take the hint and leave her alone, but his emotions were always so obvious so she knew he wanted to play. His Nerf gun got taken away from him apparently. Either his mother or his brother took it… definitely brother. Used to her moods and frankly not caring, he tugged her arm.

"Come on, let's go play." He said trying to change the expression on her face by smiling sweetly. "Sorry I hurt your ear. I didn't mean it. It just usually takes a long time to get your attention." He looked up at the men behind her and wrinkled his eye brows in confusion. "Bay, why are they looking at you like that?"

The girl looked up. Both nephilim were staring at her with an unreadable expression. Oh, Peter had said her name. Another uncovered lie, but at least this one had an excuse.

"You honestly can't have expected me to give you my real name." She said defiantly, "What is that crap they teach at school- stranger danger? Either way I still only have a first name. I didn't lie there, but I will try my best not to do it again." Peter was pulling at her more. He was clearly uncomfortable with the two men who had caught her stealing the other day. She was starting to feel that too. "Have a good evening, Alec, Wanker."

They didn't give her an answer immediately, continuing to look at her oddly, but eventually mumbled a good-bye each.

The two nephilim stared at the girl and her companion until they were lost in the crowd.

"Bay is a common enough name, right?" Asked the elder Lightwood, running a hand through his hair.

"For your sake I hope so." Jace slapped his hand on Alec's shoulder affectionately," On any account I think we should keep an eye on her. She's up to something."

"Yeah, but the thing is what. That child has to be like seven or eight and already has lived a more interesting life than most. And I've only talked to her twice."

"She has got to have some sort of connection with the higher-ups in the clave. Maybe she's a spy taken from a Chinese orphanage by the government to be trained as a killer assassin." The blond added with a smile, "I'd bother to watch that movie."

Alec laughed, "No, I don't think she's Chinese, probably a mix of Asian and Caucasian. I couldn't really tell you. The dress was Asian styled, but that doesn't mean anything."

"You need to spend less time with Magnus. Next thing I know you'll be wearing a name brand on purpose. Now that's something I wouldn't be able handle, Alec."

"So I should spend less with my husband? You're the one you just admitted to wanting to watch an action movie. Next thing I know you'll actually know the actors playing the characters by name. Maybe you need spend less time with Clary."

"Touché."

Alec eventually began to talk with various people Jace knew. He didn't really know anyone. That wasn't a fun thing when he already hated parties. At least with Magnus' parties he started to get to know the regulars and had people he found interesting to talk to. Here there were only faces he remembered seeing at various meetings and making various comments to.

A man he knew Jace didn't like walked up to him. A little sadistic smile on his lips rolled the skin under his well trimmed beard.

"You must be Alec Lightwood, Jace's parabatai." His breath stank of bourbon.

"Yes I am." He held out his hand to shake, "I'm sorry I don't know your name."

"Doesn't matter." He shrugged, not bothering to look at Alec's hand. The Lightwood dropped his hand, ignoring the heat pooling on his cheeks. "Jace talks about you a lot. His parabatai married to a high warlock."

"How do you know, Jace?" He asked irritably. He knew where this was going and frankly he wasn't in the mood to deal with crap. "Oh you know, around. He seems to stand against everything the clave is for."

"He was raised differently when he was young."

"Yeah we all know. The boy raised by Valentine. I can't believe the counsel even lets him into Alicante."

"Maybe the reason is because he's done more than most ever have for the clave." Alec defended. He didn't care if the shadowhunter talked bad about him, but there were some people in his life that wouldn't be wise to insult near him much less to him.

"He doesn't do anything for anyone other than himself." The man leered.

"How the hell would you know? Have you even had a decent conversation with him, or did you keep running your fat mouth." He knew he was pushing it, making this situation worse, but if Jace over heard he would probably punch the man in the face and sulk until they got home and Clary talked some sense into him. Alec was having a good time and he'd be damned if he let some drunk ruin it for him.

"Watch your lip, fag." The man sneered

"No, you watch yours." Alec bit back and taking a cue from his brother punched him in the jaw.

The man turned his head back immediately after the blue-eyed man's fist connected with his face. The punch wasn't hard enough to break any bones, but it would leave a nasty bruise when he woke the next morning. His hand balled and he pulled his arm back seconds from driving a blow to Alec's face. Alec closed his eyes ready for inevitable, but opened when a screamed 'stop it' could be heard. The shadowhunter had his hands in front of his chest. They looked like they were cramping and crippling and quite painful looking.

"Bronwyn, what do you think you're doing, you lazy sod?" The voice yelled. "One too many drinks and you turn into a downright wanker. Learn how to handle your alcohol better before you make an even larger idiot of yourself."

The Lightwood had to look around Bronwyn to see that oh so familiar voice only one girl could have. Bay. He almost had to do a double take. Just looking at her he could feel the tension leaving her to thin frame. Her anger seemed to radiate off her and yet she was the picture refined calmness. She turned to look at him for a moment before deciding not to bother with him for the time being. Instead she grabbed the man's arm barely able to turn him to face her, but when he did she was right in his face. She leaned up on tip toe getting as close to his ear as possible. He could barely make out the words she was saying..

"I would go away if I was you. Because I'm sure the clave would love to know who you had lunch with the other day. I rather enjoyed seeing you with that radical the counsel has been searching for, for months now." She stepped away. "Also tell your man that a beard and hair dye isn't a very good disguise."

Alec could only see the back of Bronwyn. His shoulders were stiff. It was flight or fight. Alec readied himself for the latter. If he so much as moved to touch the girl, so help him God he wouldn't be liable for his actions. As a great relief to Alec the man moved away, elbowing his way harshly thru the crowd. Now the only threat was the heated stare Bay had on him.

"You hit him." She stated, not bothering to hide her anger from him.

"I…" He started, but I what? I did it because he was a jerk? Because I was mad? No, there really wasn't an excuse and she knew it too.

"You are an idiot, sir." Bay continued. He noticed that they were now not on a first name bases. She sniffled a few times. He looked at her face for any tell of sadness, but there wasn't. She looked about ready to pass out. Alec took a step toward and lowered himself to her eye level.

"You're right," He agreed, "I'm an idiot and shouldn't have hit him. That was wrong of me. Forgive me?"

"It's not me you should ask."

"That's correct, but I set a bad example for you. Violence is never the solution. Yet you probably already knew that."

She nodded, "Of all the people here you had to pick a fight with him, didn't you?"

"Why is that? How did you know who he had lunch with?"

Bay hesitated. Sniffle, "I didn't."

"So you guessed."

She looked at him like he insulted her, "No, I don't guess. I knew he knew this one radical the Claves been watching and I saw Mr. Bronwyn the other day eating out with someone I didn't recognize. I only now connected the dots. He's probably going to alert the man. Thanks for making more work."

"I'm sorry," Alec apologized again, but still grinned at the ridiculous girl, shaking his head. "Now how did you know the Clave was watching a radical?"

Another sniffle, "They were talking about him in the same room as me. I'm supposed to keep an eye on Mr. Bronwyn and I figured that the two were connected. The rest was obvious."

"Why were you in the same room as them?"

Bay stiffened, "You ask to many questions."

Alec knew that was the last he was getting out of her. She was on defensive mode. He was faintly aware of the golden form walking toward him when Bay swayed a bit on her feet. The shadowhunter held her bony arms, steadying her. She appeared far to pale as she looked at him with blurred eyes, blinking slowly.

"Bay…Bay are you alright?"

Jace walked up beside him followed by the girl's friend.

"What's going on?" His parabatai asked, "Is she ok?"

"B," Peter called from the older blonds' side. "Let me go, you big fatty." He was being held by the wrist. When Jace didn't let go he bit him. He cried out, releasing his hold on the boy. Peter ducked, dropped his toy gun, and moved closer to his friend clearly worried. "Talk to me."

"I'm f-fine, Peter." She mumbled. Though it was breathy and hardly comprehensible, it was a relievable to know she was still half conscious. But it only seemed to make Peter more nervous. Her body convulsed as she tried to hold in a sneeze. It was too much for her shaky frame. Her upper body fell forward into his chest as she covered her face with her hands, letting out a large sneeze. She pulled back from Alec, but he didn't loosen his grip on her. If anything he tightened it. The two men and one boy watched as she pulled her hands away from her face and stared at them in horror. They didn't have to look at her palms to know that they were covered in blood. Bay's face was splattered with it. Her nose was pouring blood down her face. She spluttered as her mouth filled with the dark liquid.

"Jace, please tell me you have some tissues on you." Alec asked though it may have come out more as an order. He held her head back trying to stop the flow, but it had long since streamed down her chin and was dripping onto his palm. A small pool was growing in the center of his hand. It threatened to over flow.

"No, I can't find any." Jace answered, frantically searching his jeans and jacket pockets. The eldest Lightwood had to hold back a curse.

"Hold her." That time it was a command. Jace came up on his side and held the girl's waist. Still holding his hand under her chin, Alec wormed an arm out of his sweater and brought it over his head. He quickly slid it off his other arm. He silently thanked the angel he put a white t-shirt under his sweater today. Scrunching the black material up, Alec replaced his hand with the piece of clothing. He wiped the blood from her face and his hand on it, holding it there. His sweater already had blood splattered on the chest, and, frankly, he couldn't bother to care.

Bay's eyes fluttered closed. If Jace wasn't still holding her, she would have hit the floor as her legs gave out under her. This time neither man held back their curse. Alec swept her into his arms bridal-style. Her nose seemed to stop running, but he kept the sweater on her chest, tucking it under her chin. He turned to the boy.

"Where's Sarah?"

To both men's surprise Peter wasn't frozen to the spot- scared, yes, in shock, no. It almost looked like he had expected this. As if he had already accepted the possible turn of events. He looked around on his tip toes trying to see past the crowd, but there were too many people. Jace picked him, emanating a boyish squeal as he wrapped his legs around the elder's waist. Peter twisted and turned until he spotted her.

Pointing across Jace's chest he answered, "Blue dress, brown hair."

The nephilim strode through the parting crowd. They ignored the curious, pitying eyes as they passed. The only place they were looking was at the woman being tapped on the shoulder by a man who saw them coming. Her brown eyes slid confusingly over the men until they found the unconscious girl in Alec's arms. She met them half way.

"My angel, what happened?" Sarah asked, checking the girl's body.

"Her nose started bleeding then she passed out." He responded immediately. When Jace put the little blond boy down he stumbled over to the lady.

"Did you notice anything unusual? Pale skin, abnormal blinking, loss of breath, what?"

"Uh, she looked really pale and she was wavering on her feet."

"Like she was dizzy or weak?"

"Are you a doctor or something?" He asked irritated.

"No, just smart." Alec was beginning to see similarities in the two girls. They both were highly confident in their intelligence. "Answer the question it's important."

Jace spoke up first, "She kind of blurred out. We had to hold onto her to keep her from falling. I think she was stumbling because she was so tired."

Sarah nodded content with the answer. She then began to take Bay from Alec. He had to resist the urge to hold her tighter to him. He felt protective of Bay, but he knew that she was safe in the woman's arms. Sarah took her slowly as to not disturb both the child and the sweater arranged to be there if her nose really didn't stop bleeding.

"I'm Sarah Miller by the way. Just ask around if you want your clothes back. I really need to get her to the emergency room." She said quickly, rounding up Peter as well. "I will try to properly thank you both on a later date." And with a child in arms and another holding onto her dress, she slipped through the people like it was old hat.

It took a minute for the shock to wear off before a startling realization hit him. Ten years ago an eight year old boy lied covered in blood on their mothers lap in this very room. It takes a breath from him leaving him with a gasp. He looked over at his parabatai. Neither needed their bond to know what the other was thinking.

"I'm not feeling so good," Alec said quietly, "I think I better go home." Because it was just too much to be here right then. The blond placed his hand on Alec's shoulder.

"Yeah, I think I'll join you."


	10. Chapter 10

There were many reasons why Bay hated any profession the specialized in helping people. Charity workers especially volunteering teenagers (always overly peppy), Government programs that promise to help the middle class (ha), public school teachers (idiots), but worst of all doctors. It didn't matter the kind, may it be a pediatrician, psychologist, or even a podiatrist they all cared on a carefully executed protocol.

The girl was sitting on a blue hospital bed, her body covered by a regulation gown while the doctor checked her nose to see if the cause of bleeding was a ruptured blood vessel. Beside her Sarah was biting the inside of her cheek. The woman may not be a doctor, but she had a couple degrees medicine and knew her stuff. It obviously wasn't a ruptured blood vessel. It would still be bleeding if it was. Dr. Wilson was noticeably running out of off hand diagnosis. Well obvious to them, to anyone else he was just going thru protocol.

Bay would have been able to see her guardian's gears working out every possible reason or cause of her moment of weakness (as she was now calling it) if there wasn't some light-up tool being shoved up her nose. The man hummed lightly before pulling away and threw the nozzle into the garbage.

"Everything seems to be normal." He said, "Did you get hit in the face, or did something shock you?"

"No." She answered, scooting closer to Sarah.

This was a waste of time. She knew why she had a bloody nose and that's all that mattered. If fainting was her moment of weakness, then two minutes earlier had been her moment of power. She'd seen Bronwyn and Alec start a domestic. It was to be expected for the bearded man to start a fight when under the influence. What she hadn't expected was Alec throwing the first punch. As much as it angered her that sweet, nice, not boring Alec would just hit a fellow nephilim even if whatever Bronwyn said angered him –quiet, well mannered Alec – She wouldn't stand to see anyone hurt her Alec.

It was almost like a little part of her was triggered and shot right at the large man. She saw the only weapons on him and fired. Bay could feel herself cramping and contorting his hands, causing him pain. Suddenly the energy stopped and she felt almost winded. Without any real thinking she just blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. After that anything that happened was a blur. She woke up in Sarah's arms just as they entered the hospital.

"Ok then, follow my finger." He proceeded to move his fingers in a predicted motion. Even if she was out of it she'd have been able to follow. When he was content with that he moved his thumbs under her eyes. "There aren't any obvious signs of brain damage, and she isn't dehydrated. Yet again fainting could be caused by a million and one things."

Sarah nodded in agreement.

"She looks rather thin. How often has she been eating?"

"Bay nibbled a bit on dinner tonight, but she said her stomach was feeling barmy. Neither of us are breakfast people. I can get some grits or cereal in her, though. You have been eating your lunch right, Girly?" Sarah asked her sternly.

"Yes, ma'am," She answered truthfully. She didn't have an eating disorder. If anything she was fighting against the possibility of acquiring one. Food was off putting to her stomach, but it was recently getting better. The stuff her tutors gave her was diminishing symptoms. Yet another reason why it was pointless to be there.

"Either way she needs to eat more. I'd suggest more protein. "Brown-haired man said, "Now, I understand that she was going to come in tomorrow because she hasn't been feeling well as of late."

"Yes, she'd been complaining about an upset stomach and headaches. Well, I say complaining more like hiding and writing it off as nothing." Sarah directed that last bit to the girl smiling apologetically.

"Miss Bay, you shouldn't keep things like that from Sarah. If you think there's something wrong then you need to tell her immediately."

"There's nothing wrong with me." The stubborn girl answered.

"We'll see about that now won't we? Lift your chin, please." Dr. Wilson probed her neck gently. He mumbled about her swollen lymph nodes before rolling in his chair to the other side of the curtained room to grab a Popsicle stick out of a drawer. He told her to say 'ah' and stuck it on her tongue, shining a light in her mouth.

"Your throat is infected, but it shouldn't hurt more then a sore throat. How does it feel?"

"It hurts a bit." She admitted

"I'm going to want take some blood. Relax, "He added when he noticed Bay had curled her fingers into fists at her side. "It only feels like a pinch."

Dr. Wilson stood and went to another drawer, pulling out a purple lollipop. The girl looked to Sarah for permission before taking the treat out of the doctor's out stretched hand. Maybe he wasn't so bad.

"A nurse will be in shortly. "He said addressing them both. "After that you can leave and we will contact you when the tests are finished."

They shook hands before he collected his charts. Later a nurse came in to draw blood, Bay sucking on her lollipop the entire time. Not long after they were allowed home. Bay readied herself for bed as Sarah collected clothes into the laundry basket to take to the Laundromat tomorrow.

"How much for the Apples?" Sarah asked the grocer.

He was Romanian and Sarah spoke to him in such. From the little Bay knows, she caught him tell her a decent price. Sarah grabbed enough to last the two girls until the next market visit, paid, and walked over to the next booth. Bay followed close behind, watching wooden signs swing back and forth and plastic advertisements flap noisily in the wind. The news paper said there was a forty percent chance of rain today. Judging by the type, speed, and color of the clouds it was probably more like forty-three.

Market day was fun in way that it could easily become an adventure. Even if it was searching for a particular food in the after work crowd or watching some suspicious transactions happening in dark corners there were always things that could happen.

Sarah stopped outside the kosher deli. Bay hated the kosher deli. It smelled bad, but it wasn't the meat that made her want to gag. It was the butcher behind the counter. He smelled like the golden retriever he hid in the backroom and anchovies. She hated anchovies. Because of this very reason she asked her guardian if she could stay outside the shop.

"Fine, but stay where I can see you or you can hear me when I call."

"Yes ma'am."

Sarah entered the shop leaving a warning glance over her shoulder. Bay rolled her eyes and sat on the curb, knees drawn up with arms and chin leaning on them.

The street was filled the regulars talking with the merchants and maids collecting what they needed for whatever dinner party their employers were hosting (the inquisitor was having turkey tonight), and mothers running after their children before scolding them and finishing the shopping. Sitting there watching everything and everyone play out the way it always had gave her sense of calmness. The land felt like home. Though small changes happened here and there it never failed to make her feel welcome. Every city had a soul and that soul was made up by the people in it. When a person died, no matter how insignificant, took part of the city with them. Bay liked to think that she too was a part of this place.

A pair of blue boots walked into her vision. "Don't you think that Sarah would remember that dogs are supposed to be tied to a tree or a fire hydrant? They might run away."

Bay glared up at the Warlock counsel member. "Woof,"

"Aw come on, you can do better than that."

The girl jumped up, letting out the largest bark she could. Mordecai grimaced and put a finger in his ear.

"That was definitely better."

"No it was great. You're just tone deaf." She said. Bay lifted her arms in a silent request. The man lifted her onto his hip, laughing as he did so.

"You're getting big. You need to lay off the sweets."

"Says the man who had a chocolate bar seventeen minutes ago."

"How did you figure that out?"

She reached over and wiped a bit of chocolate from the corner off mouth, and smirked. "You're a messy eater, and Peter was only happy to help me test the time it takes candy to dry."

"I bet he was. " He said in a sing-song voice, cocking his hip and flipping his bleach blonde hair uselessly out of his face.

"You're disgusting."

"I try."

Bay held on to his brown leather jacket partially for warmth and partially for stability. He was one of the few people she actually enjoyed the company of. He was fun and interesting and best of all he didn't seem to care about her weirdness. He just teased her relentlessly about it and anything else he could think of. Right now he seemed to think that she and Peter fancied each other, and made sure to let her know it.

Mordecai was a well built, a bit below average height man. His mark was that he looked like an albino. All he did was dye his hair blonde and with eyes the palest of blues it only made him look like his nationality. He still had his Finnish accent to go with his air pilot jacket. Even without the warlock's stories being vocalized the World War II jacket in itself spoke volumes. He was a man full of adventure and tales from around the world. He was her source for world news. Everyone around her had the same attitude that nothing mattered outside Idris. Sarah and Mordecai were the only people who seemed to care.

It was for this very reason that she needed to talk to him. There were only so many high warlocks in the world and with him being on the counsel he was bound to know plenty. It was only a logical assumption that he could help her, but there was still a chance that he'd never even heard her father. He may only know as much as she did which only consisted of a name and place. Though being very important and useful information her being seven meant that she couldn't quite yet use it.

It wouldn't be hard to get information from the man holding her. He was trusting. Oh, did she hate lying to people who trusted her. There weren't many and every time she lied he felt like she was fraying the cord between the two of them. The last thing she ever wanted was for one of them to break. Bay aimed for an easy already been used countless of times by Peter's older brother, Derek: It's for a school assignment.

"My class is doing a project on warlocks. We're supposed to write about what they do and-

"-And you thought that I would be a perfect candidate to study."

"No…. Anyone who has the guts could do it on you, but they won't. Every child in my class will do it generically. I want to do it off a real high warlock. I was wondering if you could quick tell me about someone you know to see if I really want to that."

He stared at her for a moment, pale blue meeting bright blue. Bay wondered if he was going to question her farther. Maybe she hadn't sounded convincing and he saw right thru her like he sometimes could. Lying was an art she didn't feel she had mastered yet. Then all was well when Mordecai smiled in his carefree way and rolled his eyes.

"Alright, anyone you had in mind? Just remember what I tell you, you didn't hear from me."

"But how does that work? I can hear you perfec-"The rest of what she said was smothered by the hand now covering her mouth.

"Shh, you need to be quiet. There are spies everywhere." For a moment Bay was pulled into the adventure of the two of them being secret agents. She was the tall, dark, beautiful spy and he was her informant. They would discuss the whereabouts of the mysterious revolutionist (her father) and make plans to take down the enemy government. She cleared those thoughts away from her head. She didn't have time for fantasies, she thought as her mouth was released.

"Okay go on, there doesn't seem to be enemy spies eavesdropping behind the fruit." He whispered excitedly, looking around the street. "Do you have a name or particularly place?"

Yes, actually, I have both. She thought longingly, "I don't know, somewhere out the country, the continent even."

"I know quite a few people in Asia."

"To close- how about across the world? Like North America."

"I can think of a couple in Canada."

"Not Canada. We might as well still be in Europe."

"America then. Since we're being picky-choosy, east or west coast?

Bay had studied more on the place she had never had the chance to call home. She'd looked at maps with Peter and read off different facts (some useless, some not), but she still didn't feel like she knew it well enough.

"East coast, please."

"Let me see then…" Mordecai listed men and woman's names ranging from Boston to Miami. By the fifth suggestion she was starting to worry that she hit a dead end. That was until he stopped for a second and, forgetting about possible rouge spies, exclaimed.

"Oh, you know who I think you'd like: Magnus Bane- sorry Lightwood- High Warlock of Brooklyn. Brooklyn is a part of New York City, "He added for her benefit. "He was originally offered my job since he had been here during the Mortal War."

"He was in Alicante?" She asked incredulous. Partly because of rarity that downworlders were let in and partly because her father could have stood right where they were standing.

"The wards had been down at the time. Just about anyone could have entered."

"But why was he here, and better question why did he turn down a spot on the counsel?"

"I'd like to think it's because he's a romantic."

"You would." She dead panned.

"I'm not quite sure how much I should tell you. I really don't want Sarah mad at me because I put thoughts in your head."

"I won't tell if you won't."

"Fine. The story Magnus has been telling is that his… boyfriend at the time had fire messaged him from Alicante. Don't know what about, but he had come when Ragnor Fell died and when the wards fell and the first demon attack happened he was here. He was fighting some demons when his boo jumped from the rooftops like an angel and killed one of those blood thirsty beasts that had sneaked up on him, saving his life."

Bay opened and closed mouth. As much as all that was useless information it brought a new perspective to the mix. Was her father's 'boo' Alexander Lightwood? The war hadn't been two years before she was born. It was quite possible her parents had been dating before her dad was pregnant with her. Had they been in love?

"How is any of that important?"

"I was trying to show you the romanticism behind it. I guess you're too young. Anyway the two of them fought in the battle together. Later when all the new regulations meetings were being held Magnus had a lot to do with representing warlocks and witches alike. The clave offered him a seat on the counsel, but he declined. His excuse was his work, but honestly anyone would have taken his original position. The real reason was that blue-eyed shadowhunter he constantly brags about. Magnus recommended me and I got the job. I guess it all worked out. The two of them are married now. They are the cutest couple I have ever seen."

"Really?"

"Most definitely. Two totally different personalities, but they compliment each other well. If you wanted you could talk to his husband. I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet, but he's here in Alicante."

"What does he look like?" She said in a hurry.

Mordecai looked at her funny, "The fact that they're both men doesn't bother you?"

"No, should it?"

"I guess not…"

She growled in frustration. The first step was to find Alexander and then decisions could be made later. But without knowing what he looked like the task was becoming more stressful and fruitless with every passing hour. It was all the girl thought about now: finding the man who brought her to life. She had been given the most lifting and grounding news. Her dads were married. They did love each other and why wouldn't they want a copy of them both? But with that realization came another. The people around her had taken her. They had abducted her from the life she was supposed to have not the life given to her as substitute for not having loving parents, or any parents for that matter.

"What does he look like?" Bay repeated calmly, fighting the urge to shake it out if him.

"Well, he's tall and-"

"Eliza- Bay, how are feeling? Is everything alright?" Alec stood a couple feet away from the pair looking at her with the most truthful worry she had ever seen behind anyone's eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Alec stood in front in front of an artfully done storefront window.

"What about that vest? Do you think Magnus would like it?" He asked his brother.

"You mean the brown one?" Jace said from beside him, pointing at one of the white faced mannequins. The vest was leather, lined at the bottom with intricate black stitching. It reminded Alec of something a Spanish cowboy would wear. "Yeah, it's all right. Not something I'd put on, but there really isn't much of his that would look good on this chiseled frame."

The ebony haired man rolled his eyes, "I want to get him something before we leave. I just don't know what. I can't think of anything he wants or needs."

"Ah, what to get for the man who can have it all with only a snap of the finger?"

"Beats me." Alec said even though the question didn't need an answer. He decided not to get the vest and moved on down the road. He narrowly avoided a collision with a couple of kids and their dog running out from behind a cart full of melons. It was a cool day with a possibility of rain. The clouds made the late afternoon sky look even later. Soon it would be time for dinner and the two Lightwoods would have to find one of the small bistros that hid in the curving roads. The wind blew steady and cool, ruffling his short hair. Alec zipped his jacket up higher when Jace lightly slapped his back to gain his attention.

Jace pointed to a small café on their right. "I need to use the restroom. You want me to buy you a coffee while I'm in there?"

"Sure." He replied

The blonde nodded and left. Alec put his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heals. As much as being here in Alicante with his parabatai was fun- great really- he wasn't in the best of moods that day. He hadn't slept much the night before. His thoughts had been on the small blue-eyed girl he'd held hours earlier. Even now, standing next a cart full of gold and brass jewelry those thoughts followed him. Alec couldn't stop wondering how she was. Did the doctors keep her overnight, he thought, was something seriously wrong? The Nephilim had forgotten the name of the woman he'd handed unconscious child to, but the moment her thin frame slid out of his arms into her guardian's he felt a twinge of regret. Alec wanted to cradle her limp form to his chest and take care of her himself. It was thoughts like that that had to stop before they got any farther. It wasn't right to think about another's kid like he was. Even if she wasn't the woman's biological daughter she, from the fleeting conversation he had with her, might as well have been.

It was in that moment that Alec saw dark near black hair, held together by pig tail braids, in the crowd not to far away from where he stood. The Shadowhunter walked forward, calling her name. He remembered half way through that he had called her by the wrong name. Fixing his mistake he stepped in front of the pair. Bay was being held on a warlock's waist. They both stared at him slightly shocked. She was the first to recover.

"Hi, Alec," Bay said pleasantly. It was a great relief to hear her voice. More than he was willing to admit to himself. Alec couldn't help but scan over her body for any signs of distress. There was nothing to indicate something physically wrong with her. Other then the unusual paleness of her skin and the fact that she was clearly under weight there wasn't anything obvious to suggest sickness. Though he didn't really know what did other than gashes in skin where it bled profusely. Blood meant there was something wrong, but not everything was as easy to spot as bright red. "How are you?"

"How am I," He asked incredulously, "How are you? Did Sarah take you to the doctor's office? What did they say?"

She glared at him. He knew he probably looked half insane questioning her like a cop, but he couldn't help it. Alec felt responsible for her. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he somehow made it worse; an unlikely thought, but one that showed itself anyway.

"I'm fine no thanks to you."

"No thanks to me?"

Bay scoffed and rolled her eyes. "There's no need to repeat me. Don't be dull."

"If I want to repeat you then I will. And don't roll your eyes at me. Now answer me, how is it my fault?"

"If you had just left me there I wouldn't have had to be stabbed with needles and Sarah wouldn't be on my case. I am sure my body would have repaired itself. It has been for as long as I've known it."

"Left you there?" He ignored the glare sent to him by the young eyes. "You wanted me to let you bleed and possibly crack your skull open when you hit the floor because you fainted. Maybe I should have, would have saved me the headache and sleepless night wondering if you were okay. Not to mention my sweater."

Bay had the nerve to look the least bit bashful. "Oh, I… I didn't know that happened. It's all kind of a blur. I'm sorry."

Alec knew he was being rash and that her apology was probably something to cherish, but all he'd gotten from this girl was crap. Honest, sincere crap that the next time he talked to her turned out to be not so honest or sincere. At the moment he was sleep deprived and getting hungry. He was allowed to be a bit pissy.

"Are you really, Bay?" The nephilim asked, bitterness lacing the words with disbelief. "Is there anyway to tell if you're not lying to me because every time I see you another untruth is revealed. So is there something you want to tell me now or is it just going to slip from your mouth later?"

What he had said sounded sad even to his own ears. He was being frank, but that was just who he was. Alec liked this girl. He honest to God loved spending those bizarre, awkward moments with her if only for that hidden playful side to show just for a minute before she became guarded. There was only so much he could take though. He didn't like to associate with liars and that was what she was. But the girl was young. With patience anything could be fixed. It was only a matter of trying from both parts, and definitely not for the fist time he wondered what her home life was like.

Bay didn't answer him. He had hit a nerve with her. It surprised Alec that she wasn't glaring at him, but seemed to look ashamed at herself.

The silence in the group was interrupted by a forced cough. The shadowhunter noticed the blond for the first time.

"The two of you definitely have a history." Alec recognized the man as the warlock counsel member Mordecai. He knew Magnus knew Mordecai as Magnus had suggested him for the job, but the nephilim didn't know him on a personal level.

"Where did the two of you meet?" Mordecai continued.

Bay finally looked Alec in the eye. She was watching to see what he would do. Was he going to keep his promise and lie for her- the thing he was just berating her for- or tell just to teach her a well needed lesson? Alec bit the inside of his cheek and, taking a large breath, began to speak.

"I've been helping a friend of mine with his concessions stand. Bay shows up almost daily and tries to haggle me out of the Skittles. I was just on my way there now actually."

The girl stared at him disbelievingly. He knew what was going on thru her head. He felt almost a sense of pride from shocking her. It didn't look like an easy thing to do. He even surprised himself. That was probably the best lie he had ever told. It seemed to be enough for the warlock because he nodded; an amused smiled playing on his face.

"Figures that's how you'd meet." Mordecai said, "She's always on some kind of power trip."

"Am not." She mumbled, looking away from Alec.

"Do you even know what a power trip is?"

She crossed her arms over her chest as an answer.

"Since you both know each other, Bay, this-" Mordecai began, but was stopped by a woman's voice.

"Mordeci!"

He bit back a curse. In second's time Bay was being handed over to Alec, the girl received a kiss on the cheek, and the blond was running down the road yelling his farewell, and was followed by a giant, Amazonian woman.

"Do I-" The older nephilim started.

"Girlfriend." Said Bay.

"Ah."

They both stayed on the edge of the sidewalk in silence, Alec supporting her around his waist, his hand on her back, and Bay continuing to cross her arms and not look at him in defiance- most definitely not pouting. Looking at her with her braided pigtails and colorful but unquestionably plain clothing reminded him of Isabelle at that age. They both had the long black hair, lanky body, and that air of superiority. With Izzy that came with the Lightwood name, but with Bay… well only God knew, thought Alec. Still being the older brother type, he used his free hand to tug on one of her braids. She snapped her head around to look at him. Alec laughed at the scandalized face she was making.

"You just pulled my braid." She accused. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I wanted to." He answered, pulling again. His laughter jiggled Bay uncomfortably. She tried to scuttle up, but only succeeded in losing Alec's grip on her. He caught her at angle that looked very much like he had purposely dipped her as if in a dance. A mischievous glint flickered in his eyes. Before the girl could protest Alec scooped her up and kissed her soundly on the cheek.

"Ew!" Bay shrieked, "You are so gross! Yuck!"

Alec erupted into more laughter, but made sure to hold her tight to him as she repeatedly and violently wiped her cheek. As his breathing steadied he became aware of a softer laugh. He had to wipe away the tears in his eyes before he could clearly see the woman standing in front of them.

He immediately recognized her as Bay's guardian. A simple but beautiful woman, she was of average height; a couple inches added by her blue heels, and held her mousy brown hair in a ponytail. She wore a matching blue blouse and a pencil skirt. Hanging on her arm was a grocery basket- the complete look of going to the market after a days work. She walked closer. Her eyes scanned over him unnoticeably if he wasn't used to blue eyes giving him the same treatment. Sarah was still laughing lightly when she spoke.

"What did she do to deserve a kiss from such a fine, young gentleman as yourself?" Her voice was teasing, but what he noticed most was the difference in accents between the girls. Bay's accent was lighter, less influenced by British tongue and more by Alicante's flourished vowels. Sarah's was untainted- thicker and held the English drawl. The woman spoke like she was a politician or used to talking to the sort. Her flattery, though said in a joking manner, had caused a blush to form on his cheeks and he coughed awkwardly.

"Oh, um."

"Alec, please," Bay interrupted, having ceased rubbing her cheek, "don't bother answering that with a response. Your juvenile self-consciousness destroys your chance of ever being witty."

"Bay!" Sarah scolded, "How many times have I told you-"

"-If you can't say something nice… I know."

Sarah pinched the top of her nose and blew out a long, strained breath. "My apologies for her behavior she's usually well behaved."

"No, it's alright. Trust me I came to that conclusion years ago." Alec said with a smile. "My brother I am not."

She shook her head, but smiled none the less. Silently declaring that they start again, Sarah held her hand out. "We didn't have the chance to get formally introduced, what with that good bit of drama for the night. I'm Sarah Miller."

Alec took her hand and shook it, but before he could tell her his name Bay beat him to it.

"Yes and he's Alec. Now can we please skip the pleasantries and you can interrogate him like you do everyone else." Bay grumbled.

"Miss Bay, your manners today are atrocious. Don't be surprised that when we get home we will have a good, long chat about it." The woman and young lady stared the other down. It was a long practiced show of wills. He could only imagine how often they butted heads. Bay looked away first and mumbled a 'Yes, Ma'am'. He would later question how her hand had placed itself on his chest and tightened possessively, but for now he ignored it.

"I'm not here to interrogate you, I promise." Sarah said apologetically.

"I get it. I wouldn't blame you. I'm a complete stranger holding your… not daughter…" If he expected her to feel offended as Bay did when he slipped up, it was short lived. She smiled as if this was a common occurrence.

"Ah, yes, Bay makes sure to inform the people she likes that I am not her mother." Though appearing nonchalant, Alec thought he heard a twinge of sadness end her sentence. She took the look he unknowingly sent her as slight astonishment toward the fact he was liked by the usually irksome child. If purposely he didn't know. "You're not a complete stranger. I hear about you daily. You're the infamous Alec."

She paused to grab the girl from Alec. Again he ignored his urge to take her back in his arms. Bay glared accusingly at Sarah. It seemed to him that she didn't like the separation much herself. He "Thank-you so much for your help last night. I can't express my gratitude enough. I'd like to take you and your brother out for lunch before you leave."

He didn't ask how she knew he wasn't staying. "It's fine, you really don't need to."

"Nonsense, of course I do." She peered down at her watch, "Your jumper should be finished in the dryer by now. If you wouldn't mind I can take you there. The Laundromat is just down the road."

Alec stared at her questioningly, "I'm sorry, my jumpa?

Sarah looked at him blankly before realization kicked in and she explained, "I'm sorry I forgot you're an American. A jumper is the same thing as a sweater." She tugged lightly on Bay's purple, knit sweater, "We just call it that where I'm from."

The nephilim man reddened a bit at the cheeks. He probably looked even more like an oblivious idiot compared to the geniuses in front of him. Sarah must have known his inner turmoil because she smiled motherly at him.

"Don't feel embarrassed I lived in America for a time. I constantly had to explain myself to my friends. Come on it's about dinnertime and I don't want to keep you waiting."

The woman led the small group down the road. The walk was quiet, but not awkward. It wasn't long before they were walking thru the glass door and causing the bell above to jingle irritably. Sarah was right (He doubted she was rarely anything but) about the laundry. She pulled out the clothes, piling them into a stained laundry basket. In the midst of all the domestic necessity, Alec turned his head subconsciously when the bells at the entrance went off. Jace stood in the door way. He raised his palms in question. Just as Alec turned his body halfway back to point over his shoulder, an article of clothing hit him square in the face. He heard Bay laugh from her seat on one of the closest washing machines. He'd be lying if said he wasn't grinning open mouthed as his sweater fell into his arms.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were looking." Sarah apologized though she was laughing right along with Jace, who had walked over to his side carrying two cups of coffee, and Bay. Alec joined in. The moment ended too soon as they exchanged good-byes. He made sure to tug on one of Bay's braids one more time before he followed his brother out of the Laundromat.


	12. Chapter 12

"You got an eight?"

"No I do not got an eight."

"Fine, do you have an eight?"

"No, go fish."

Peter sighed and rolled his eyes at the girl lying in front of him. He reached over to the stack of cards. Grabbing the car on top, he made a sound of triumph as he brandished his matching numbers in Bay's face before smacking them onto the wooden floor alongside his other matches "Fished. My. Wish."

"Juvenile." Bay grumbled.

"Says the girl younger than me." He smirked. The glare she sent him was deadly. She hated being reminded that he was one month her senior. It wasn't fair. She was taller and smarter so why couldn't she have been born first?

Bay collected the cards and shuffled. Go Fish was a favorite of theirs. It was also the only card game they knew how to play.

"How long are you grounded to?" Peter asked.

"Until dance begins."

Sarah wasn't lying when she said they'd talk. The minute the groceries were put away she sat the girl down at the dinner table and preceded to poke and prod at any issues Bay may have. Because, apparently, having a bachelors in psychology made her an expert at child rearing. The chat started with usual scolding, but when it came to problem fixing it became uncomfortable.

"Is this about you being worried because you don't have an immediate answer as to why you're sick or because you're searching for your biologic father?" Sarah had asked bluntly. Bay, who had her eyes locked on the loose fists she was making on her lap, snapped her head up. "Oh, you're surprised that I know of your on going search. You and Peter should feel like the luckiest people in the world. When Peter's mother called me in the middle of the night, frantic because he wasn't in bed like you both should have been, I convinced her not to punish her son after I found you two in the vaults. If I hadn't figured out that your little escapade was most likely because of your father I would have beaten you into a pulp. Now do you want to tell me what's going on or do you want to get your friend in trouble. Even as it stands I'm surprised he remains your best mate."

The blue-eyed girl stared at her in horror. She felt completely suffocated. As if the air around the room was getting to thick to breathe. Sarah knew. Bay hadn't kept it secret enough. Or maybe she had kept it too secret. She should have figured Sarah would notice that other then that one night Bay hadn't asked any questions or shown interest in parentage. When she found out about anything she asked question after question until she was told to look it up herself.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times before forcing the first words she could think of out.

"I haven't been sleeping well."

"That's obvious, but why?"

"I keep thinking."

"Okay, thinking about what, your father?"

"My dad, but I guess my father too."

Sarah seemed to relax a bit at her confession, "You've already designated them names. Who's who?"

"Alexander Lightwood is my dad." The words almost hurt to say. She hasn't said his name out loud often and when she does it feels like it tugs on her insides with every syllable because though he is her dad, he's really not. Bay doesn't say her father's name out loud for fear of tearing something vital.

The woman hummed and nodded her head thoughtfully. "Have you found anything helpful in that folder you hid in your pillow case?"

Bay sent her a look of utter betrayal. "How did you-"

"I wasn't snooping; part of the folder was sticking out... I'm not trying to be mean, I honestly think some of this searching is good for you, but in no way do I want you risking your- or Peter's- safety. Sneaking out of the house at your age -or any age for that matter- is unacceptable. At least when I climbed out my bedroom window at your age it was on a dare. I ended up locked out of the house and a sore bottom the next day when my Gran found me on the front stoop." The girl cocked her head to the side bemused. "What I'm trying to say is that you may continue with your search as long as it doesn't break any rules and you give me the barest of details. It's probably best that I don't know much in case your tutors get suspicious. Under no circumstances do I want you talking to people you don't know. I don't care if you're positive you've found your dad I want to meet him before you say any thing."

Sarah opened her arms as an invitation. Bay walked to the other side of the wood table and sat down on her lap, hugging her middle. The girl nestled her head into the woman's neck. "And most importantly try not to get your hopes up higher then they already are. There are many people staying in Alicante, he may be staying out of town even. You just don't know… I can't promise you that you'll find your biological parents now, but what I can promise you is that if you really find your dad I'll advise and support any decisions you want to make."

The blue-eyed girl looked up at Sarah, eyes wide. She didn't know how to answer with her throat so tight. Sarah shifted Bay so they could look face to face easily.

"None of that means you're not grounded, though." She said determinedly as the girl let out an uncharacteristic whine, "You're grounded until ballet begins, no reading for fun, and this weekend at the university you will sit in the same room as me. You are not to go to history department and listen in on lectures."

"Oh, alright." Bay grumbled. She'd have to find other ways to keep herself entertained especially when Sarah brought her to work on the weekend. Since Sarah's official title was an Experimental Physicist and as the only one with that title she ran the University's Physics department. Explained to her in the simplest terms was that the woman and fellow colleagues work on anti-gravity and the sort. She was told on a weekly basis that any machine in the labs were worth a hundred times the hand she'd use to break it. To keep from sitting in the spinning chair that lived in Sarah's office she'd sit outside lecture halls and listen to professors teach their trade.

"Oh, and no experimenting." Sarah said, interrupting Bay's thoughts. She was met by the unbelieving horror of an unbelievable girl.

Dealing the cards in a matching pair, Bay began to speak in hushed tones.

"I don't know how I'm going to find him now. It's already Friday night. The Clave won't be having anymore meeting until Monday and who's to say that he'll stay that long."

Peter looked up at her in shock. He did a quick scan of the door for any parental figures. "Are you crazy? Sarah's in the other room."

He whispered his words harshly because any discussion of 'him' is done on the way home from school behind his older brother who has been oblivious to the children following him since the blonde punk started walking home with the group.

Bay informed him about her guardian's knowledge, though she left out the bit about how she knew they were in the Vaults. It had been the biggest relief that Sarah didn't know of her trip to the hardware store.

Peter stared at her for a moment, deciding whether this was a good or bad thing. He couldn't choose. He reverted back to the former conversation.

"Why couldn't your dad just be on vacation or visiting family? I went to Germany to visit my cousins once maybe he's doing the same thing."

"He has a dad living here- Robert Lightwood is his name."

"So either way you have family here." Peter said, trying to be helpful.

"I guess so," Bay said uncertainly, "but who's to say he didn't assist in bringing me here?"

The blond looked appalled, "Families don't do that to each other, especially not grandparents. My grandpa plays fighter pilot with me when he visits," He gave her a look, "unlike some people."

Bay rolled her eyes at him. "I guess you're right, but it's not the same. His step brother is probably her a lot."

"Who's his step brother?"

"I don't know. He did something for the clave during the Mortal War, but I didn't pay attention to what. I think his name is Jonathon something or other."

"So why don't you ask to meet him. I mean that's your uncle and if your dad is here then they should be together right?"

"Maybe, but the people I'd have to ask are the people who brought me here. I have no idea what he looks like and I'm not allowed nor do I want to get his file."

Bay dropped her head into her hands, the game long forgotten. "Unless Mordecai starts talking to my dad before he leaves I don't think I'll ever get to meet him until I'm old."

"You don't know that. He could show up at your door right now."

"This isn't some fairytale in a book, Peter. This is real life."

"To bad the stories are real."

The girl looked up into Peter's apple green eyes. He felt bad for her, that was obvious, but he didn't know how to make it better. Yet again neither did she.

Bay picked herself off the floor. She debated playing her violin or the piano. Deciding she needed to move more, she left Peter to his own devises and sat down on the piano bench. She played through several different minuets, the blond trying to make a castle out of the playing cards behind her, before the heals of the boy's mother could be heard walking up he stairwell. Well, Bay thought, judging by her footsteps Mrs. Everlane had sobered up a bit. The two children walked into the hall where Sarah and Mrs. Everlane were chatting. Bay knew that Sarah wasn't the biggest fan of Peter's mother. Having lived around enough of them in her life, she didn't like drunks. The only reason Peter was allowed over during her punishment was that Sarah cared to much to let him go home to his mom after one of her 'social parties' until she sobered up.

Soon enough the green-eyed Everlanes left and Sarah motioned Bay to come into the kitchen with her. The girl sat down at the table, and began her homework as Sarah started to cut the broccoli that would be served with roast beef for dinner. They stayed like that for a time, Bay finished in no time flat, began on extra work her tutors would make here do later tonight, and Sarah put the finishing touches on their food. That was until the woman was interrupted by a fire message. Bay paid no thought in it because it wasn't odd for work to send a message. What caught her attention was the sound of a utensil being dropped and the stony silence that followed. When she looked up Sarah's face was white. As though the tan she acquired this summer had been blown away by the upcoming fall wind.

"What is it?" Bay asked in a small voice.

Her words seemed to snap the woman back to reality. She quickly folded the paper and brought over their plates.

"Oh, nothing." She dismissed thru a fake smile. She pushed away the homework scattered on the table top and sat down. Bay watched her uneasily as she took a bite of vegetables, she watched when Sarah gestured with her fork to do the same, and she watched her arm as it seemed to jerk from plate to mouth.

"You can stop staring at me like that." Sarah commented.

"No."

"Suit yourself then."

The meal went on in the same manner. The only unusual moment was when the woman told Bay to eat her food a bit harsher than usual. It wasn't until the dishes were in the sink, Bay still gazing at her from her seat, that Sarah practically announced something was wrong.

"Do you want to make chocolate chip biscuits?"

Sarah's back was still toward her as the physicist washed their plates. There was no way Bay could see her face, but she could hear her voice. She spoke not like the girl's guardian would, enthusiastic yet calm and controlled, but with a hidden forcefulness. As if she was forcing herself to be pleasant if only for the girl's sake.

Anger no longer controlled, the blue-eyed child marched to the kitchen island and grabbed the letter. Sarah turned around suddenly, a sponge still in her hand.

"That is not yours, sweet heart. Now put it back." She said forcefully.

Bay stuck her chest out and lifted her chin in defiance. She answered with her second consecutive no.

The woman, brown eyes continuously trained on blue, dropped the sponge into the sink and wiped her hands on a towel. She was about to say what would have been a last warning when Bay spoke in the biggest grow-up voice she could muster.

"I want to know what it says."

There was a small pause where both females stood their ground. Sarah broke first.

"It's from the doctor's office."

"Okay, what does it say?" Bay repeated.

"Your blood test results are in and that they show a very high count of white blood cells." The woman said hesitantly.

"What does that mean?"

Sarah sighed and gestured for Bay to come over. Knowing that she wouldn't get anything more until she did, the girl walked around the island. Sarah picked her up and sat her down in front of her on the granite counter top. She held long, pale fingers in her own larger hands.

Smiling sadly, she spoke.

"What it means, Love, is that you are very sick."

o.O.o

Jace and Alec stumbled into the house a little, overly giddy. A clear blue night and a bit of alcohol made the world a good place. The parabatai had gotten hold of some beer and left to the nearest park. A found ball, an exaggerated game of soccer and many bruises left them full of endorphins. It was just a good day to be alive.

Alec finished untying his shoes first, his enclave cloak hanging over his shoulder. He pushed pass Jace who was unlacing his own boots, leaving a comment about his fat ass and barely missing a Charlie horse. Intent on getting a glass of water, he walked thru the living room into the kitchen. He grabbed a jar from the drying rack and flicked the faucet on. As his glass filled with water he heard a deep, familiar voice calling his name over the soft roar of water. Only as a second thought did he turn off the faucet before he turned around. Standing in front of the red leather chaise lounge, book in hand, was his father.

"Alexander," He repeated, placing his novel on an arm rest. Robert stared at him as if he was trying to figure if what was in front of him was real. Alec was trying to know why he was here and not in Paris like Jace said he would be. Jace walked into the room looking perplexed but also like he expected this to happen. Alec could have killed him.

"Hello, Robert," The blond greeted, taking a seat on the couch and gesturing for his brother to follow lead. He does so, but with trepidation; his eyes never left his dad's. The three men sat across from each other.

"I wasn't aware you and Jace were in Alicante together." The eldest Lightwood said.

"I was told you were in France."

"Yes, well, I've returned."

"I can see that."

Delaying the inevitable awkward silence to come, Jace spoke quickly. "What a horrific display of conflicting schedules. Lucky for us there are three bedrooms upstairs. No one has to share."

He entertained himself by taking Alec's glass jar and sipping exaggeratedly to avoid the glares sent his way.

"It appears that we have been set up," Said Robert in a good-humored tone not usually associated with him.

"I would never-"

"Dad, how was France?" Alec interrupted. He wanted this conversation to end as fast as it had started.

"Good, how have you and Magnus been? I haven't heard much about the two of you lately."

"We're doing well." He supplied vaguely. Alec could have told him that the two of them that the two of them had been in Barcelona not a month ago because Magnus had assisted a client in the taking down of a group of mercenaries called The Gypsies, or how, though not usually involved in enclave matters was offered a job running the Boston institute, but had to decline because of Magnus' work and Jace didn't want to leave New York to help him when Clary and he were trying for a baby and wanted to be near family. He probably should have told him all that, but why bother?

"How are you and…" Alec began; his eyes squinted in a confused manner.

"Amélie." His dad supplied, "Her name's Amélie, and we're doing fine."

"That's…good."

It wasn't a secret that his dad was dating someone. A woman he suspected lived in France. Robert's love life, though how odd it was to think his dad had one, was old news. At first none of the Lightwood siblings had taken to the news well. It had taken good long chats from their significant others before they had calmed down enough to accept the fact that their dad had moved on. He had no idea, nor did he care to have one, if his mother was seeing anyone.

The problem he had with his father was a problem that stemmed unknown to him for years. It had been quite a stab to the chest not because he had heard from Jace years later after Maryse had told him prior to his and Clary's wedding, but that his little sister had known since she was a kid. He didn't know who he was mad at more. Maryse for keeping it a secret from everyone then having the nerve to tell Isabelle at such a sensitive age and letting her carry the weight of it all, or Robert for having an affair until Izzy was born and later until Max was born.

This little 'get together' wasn't the first time he'd seen his father years. They'd talked a few times over the years. Robert still had business in New York, and there were always family gatherings to attend. It happened that after one particular gathering Alec had rammed Robert into a wall. The conversation that followed hadn't snapped their relationship entirely- only made it taut.

"How's Clary doing?" His dad asked, shifting focus onto Jace. A change Alec welcomed. "Everything and everybody doing alright?"

"Clary and baby are doing 's been no complications- thank the angel."

"When's the baby due?"

"On the sixteenth." Jace said. Trepidation and awe laced his voice. A mix only associated with soon to be fathers.

Robert smiled and said, "I know that voice. It's the same voice that used to drive Maryse nuts. I think I made her more nervous when she was pregnant with you, Alexander. Did I ever tell you I almost missed your birth?"

Alec shifted uncomfortably under his father's gaze, "Um… no."

"Ah well, I was out patrolling the werewolf territories, though it was more of a massacre when The Circle was involved," Robert said; distant hate choked his words slightly, "when your mother messaged me that her water broke a couple hours before. By the time I got to the hospital you were ten minutes away from being born."

"You were out patrolling when Maryse was pregnant enough to give birth any day then?" Jace asked with disbelief.

Alec knew that Jace's largest fear was not being there for the birth of his first born. The idea of not smothering your spouse with your presence was probably an unthought one in his brain. His bags hadn't been unpacked yet. He was ready to leave on moments notice. Alec was stupid enough to think that Jace wouldn't leave him. Alec's bags were still packed.

"She told me I made her nervous. Try not make Clary feel that way, Jace. At least I don't have to tell you that, son."

Alec, tensed since the beginning and at the ready, as his nature was, to defend, assumed that his father's words were an insult, snapped, "What the hell is that supposed to mean."

"Alexander!" Robert stormed in a way only Lightwoods were capable.

"Don't Alexander me, "He seethed, "What do you mean you don't have to tell me that? That the little bit of parenting advice you decided to grace us with didn't apply to me because what? Because I'm the one who gave birth and I'm not considered a proper dad to you? Where were you when I was growing up? Oh that's right you were having an affair. How silly of me to forget that you were too busy with that to try making a relationship with your children."

The eldest Lightwood stared calmly at his son. There was no sign of hostility or of mirth on his face. No way to tell what he was thinking.

Jace, filling the silence, began, "You know-"

"That was not how I meant it." Robert interrupted. "What I was trying to insinuate was that you had already gone threw the motions. That my advice was already learnt. I do admit that my thought process was that you experienced the protectiveness of a soon to be father first hand. If it's my attention that you want then I could give you more advice that wouldn't apply anymore."

"I didn't want your attention or pointless advice then and definitely don't now."

"Of course you didn't want it, you were acting like a child that refused to tell his parents of his crimes."

Alec blanched, "You think- angel- I didn't act like a child!"

"Yes you did. You never took the initiative and sat the family down." Robert shifted his body toward the blond. "Jace, how did you find out?"

The man in question hesitated. He was caught between protecting his brother and answering the question to the man who seemed to be winning the conversation. He took the sight of Alec putting his head in his hands as an answer for the latter. "I had to demand why I wasn't allowed to touch him." Alec sank farther into himself. It was apparent that his defenses were crumbling.

"You know how I found out?" The eldest Lightwood confessed to his son, "Your mother messaged me. I didn't know anyone could sound so angry through a letter. She was mad and disappointed in you, but mostly, I think, in herself. She had hopes for you to one day take her job. Maryse was trying to train you, if that wasn't already apparent to you. I have to admit that your mother and I didn't expect you and Magnus to last much longer. That was until Maryse found out you were pregnant. You may not think that we paid much attention in your life- a truth that I am very sorry for- but we knew you had a high morale standard- you still do. What was best for your child was going to be your top priority. It was highly doubtful that you'd consider taking over as the head of the Institute anytime soon."

Alec lifted his hands across his face; pulled at the longer hair at the top to tighten on the inch length hair on the side of his head, "That doesn't excuse mom from acting the way she did. She never mentioned anything about me taking her job. She yelled at me for Bay not consisting of pure nephilim blood and blamed Magnus for corrupting me. She had no right to call my child what she did and to be so angry with it. Were the two of you fighting?"

"No we weren't, but you couldn't have gotten here at a worse time. There was a nest of eligos demons in the upper east side. Maryse had organized the raid to almost fool proof. No one expected their greater demon mommy to be there. We lost three of our own that night."

Next to him Jace grimaced. "That's why we were sent sent on patrol on the other side of the city. I knew there was something Maryse wasn't telling Alec and I."

"I guess that's supposed to explain almost seven years of motherless existence." Alec grumbled.

To the present companies surprise, Jace forfeited his calm demeanor to snap at his brother, "No it doesn't. The reason you two haven't spoken is because neither of you will get off your high horse."

"She's the one-"

"I don't give a damn. You think she's a bitch and she thinks you're a brat. You want Maryse to apologize and she wants you to grow some balls and talk to her like a man. I get where you're coming from, Alec. If she had said the same to Clary I would have done more than not talk to her. I petitioned to tie the both of you to a chair and leave you until someone said something. I was out voted to the unlikely chance of an emotional mother son truce worthy of the news. Or so says Isabelle."

"Personally," Robert said, "I would have gone with the chairs. Though I would hate to see what would happen if one were to escape"

Alec laid his head back against the couch, thoroughly defeated, and groaned.

"All we're asking, Alec," Jace said, "Is that the next you're in the same room take the initiative and talk to her. Also, take my water. You look a bit ill."

The blue-eyed Lightwood lulled his head to the side, glaring at his brother, but took back his glass none the less. A mouth full of water swallowed, Alec stood. "I'll say hi, but it's up to her where to conversion goes."

Jace seemed to consider this, before nodding his head in acceptance.

"I'm heading off to bed," Alec said. Robert stood and the two men exchanged a brief hug. The embrace was a wordless truce as much as it was a good-night.

"Will I see you in the morning?" Robert asked.

"Yeah, we'll have to do breakfast." Alec said. "I was going to visit Aline and my god-kids tomorrow."

After a series of informal good-nights Alec took to the stairs. On his way up he could have sworn he heard his father say, "Now about your language, boy."

He smirked.


	13. Chapter 13

Though Bay was loathe to admit it, it wasn't only the routine procedures that made her hate doctors. Her disdain came from the fear that at any moment they would cause her physical pain. As uncharacteristic as that was for a shadowhunter, she still kept her eyes glued for anything that could be used as an instrument of pain. Bay knew that it was a pointless task that only made her nervousness worse. She still did it anyway because Dr. Wilson was going to walk through the door into the small examination room and preform what the physician's assistant explained was a bone marrow biopsy.

All throughout the day the girl had been dropped from nurses to physician's assistants to nurses again. She had been poked and prodded, though most of it, in her opinion, was needless. They knew what was wrong with her, everything done to was just for show. Sarah was a benefactor, which meant that they were shoved to the top of every pile and list imaginable, and as any hospital would do they tried to impress her. Hospital workers often pointed out new equipment, or upgrades in the children's section.

Hospitals such as this were mostly catered to nephilim under the age of twelve. Broken bones or sickness couldn't be cured by runes until the official age of twelve. Sometimes a kid would mark or have a friend mark him and he would end up here. The ones that began hallucinating came in through the side door, where the interior walls were painted a plain blue, unlike the majority of the hospital's walls that were decorated with colorful animals and conquering nephilim. The ceilings were marked with runes of healing, relaxation, and protection. If you stared too long at the black marks, the overwhelming sense of tranquility often lead you to sleep.

For that reason, Bay refused to look up. She didn't deserve to feel more at ease. Instead she gave a dirty glare to the giraffe on the opposite wall and mentally cursed it in greek because of its unproportionate horns. She was a fan of symmetry. Sarah sat beside her, reading a book. Bay had brought a book she could read while waiting, but twitching nervously was fulfilling the urge to do anything other than sit in the bed cross-legged. Without looking up, Sarah put her hand on the girls thigh in a silent order to calm herself. It took a lot of self-control, but she was able keep the twitching in her foot, her anklet glinting under the harsh witchlight, and her hands to stop clenching and unclenching. She laid them on her lap.

Dr. Wilson enter the room moments later. Stitched into the sleeves of his black scrubs were blood colored runes of steadiness and judgement. Bay had the fleeting thought that her death sentence was up and he was the black clad executioner. She fought it back. Sarah, having placed her book down, stood and offered her hand. They knew each other personally and greeted the other as such.

"Hello, James," Sarah said, shaking hands.

"Hello, Sarah," The physician said, "I'd like to say it's good to see you…" Bay watched as Sarah and Dr. Wilson gave the other a look only shared between grown-ups when a child was in the room. What they wanted to say they didn't want to say in front of her. The moment passed and Dr. Wilson subconsciously faked a smile, walking to her.

"And how are are you, Miss Bay?"

At the warning glare Sarah sent her, Bay bit the inside of her cheek, holding the bitter, sarcastic comment she was tempted to retort. Instead she sat up a bit straighter and stated without a smile, "Fine."

Dr. Wilson nodded. A blonde, well-worn looking nurse entered, rolling a tray with her into the room. Everything needed to preform was on that green rack. Bay looked away quickly when her eyes caught the glint from the medical tools lain across. The only exchanges given between the women and girl were smiles and mumbled hellos.

Dr. Wilson checked the file hung on the end of the bed. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"To stab my hip bone with a giant needle and take my bone marrow." She said, holding as much harshness in her voice as she could.

In her seat, Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, that's about right." The doctor said. He went over to a drawer at the other end of the room and pulled out medical gloves. The nurse, introduced as Helen Blackthorn, did the same. Tugging the gloves on, Dr. Wilson walked to the side of the bed. "Will you turn on your side, please?"

Bay turned on her side, her back facing him. He poked her hip bone.

"Do you feel my finger here?"

A physician's assistant had numbed the area earlier. "No."

"Okay, good. Now what I want you to do is bend you knees- like that, yes." He took his hand away from her hip and Bay took Sarah's hand. Dr. Wilson was collecting supplies from the table rolled in previously. It was impossible not to pay attention to every sound he made. The high clang of metal, the crumple of paper. Soon enough he was standing behind her once again. He pulled her hospital gown away from the needed area and placed a paper like cover over her hip. Dr. Wilson moved it until it was in the right position. The hole in the paper where he was to perform.

"You are going to feel pressure. Just stay completely still and it will be over soon." He pushed the needle in. Bay clenched her guardian's hand as tight as her muscles allowed and her body went taut. The pain wasn't unbearable. When he first inserted the needle she didn't even feel it. It was a subconscious action to grip Sarah's hand. Bay did feel it seconds later when the needle went deeper. She didn't want to think about how deep.

After a moment Dr. Wilson pulled out the needle and the nurse placed a gauze over the wound.

"All done," He said as the instrument clanged on the wheel-able table.

The girl went lax. Somewhere in the last minute she had clenched her eyes shut. When Bay opened them, she brought her fingers to her high cheek bones and under her blue eyes. She hadn't cried. There was water collected behind her eye lids, but she hadn't cried. Bay found herself smiling. She didn't have a fear of needles, part of her like the look of them, sleek and thin enough to pass through the body's protective membrane without any real damage, but they promised pain. The thought then feel of pain had manifested itself within her and caused her protective walls to crack but not brake.

As soon as her gown was tied back to its normal fitting, Bay sat up. Mrs. Blackthorn, on her forearm was a marriage rune, her chest covered by smocks, took her hands and smiled in a congratulatory way.

"You must be very brave. You've got to be the first of your age to keep from crying." She said. Though it was meant as a compliment, Bay wanted to cry. Was she so different that she didn't cry when others did?

The nurse's hands had an almost translucent look to them. There had to be fairy blood on her, Bay thought, to give a beauty like that. Odd enough Mrs. Blackthorn wore the Penhallow family ring on her right hand. Bay almost smirked when she figured that this was the Helen Blackthorn. The much rumored wife of the inquisitor, Jia penhallow's daughter Aline.

In a matter of minutes Sarah and Bay were offered to either wait in the waiting room or they were free to go home and the hospital would call them within a few hours. For reasons Bay couldn't care to know, Sarah chose to stay. The girl dressed quickly and followed Sarah to the waiting room.

o.O.o

In the waiting room, Bay had the entire children section, filled with toys, mostly all to herself. She had absolutely no idea what to do with them. She didn't have many toys herself. Board games and chemistry sets filled her home. Bay wasn't allowed dolls. Sometimes she would pull their heads off.

A girl older than her by a few year was sitting in a chair made for a four year old coloring, looking just as bored as she, and a set of twins toddling around their mother on the far side of the room. Maybe if she felt like it later she could get the girl to help her break into the vending machine for the fun of it. Instead she headed for the construction blocks and got to work.

Over three-fourths done her construction of Madame Lalourie's mansion, Sarah tapped her back to gain her attention.

"I'm going to talk with Dr. Wilson for a moment. Stay here." She said, quick and straight to the point as ever before.

Bay looked behind Sarah's shoulder. The blonde nurse from earlier stood with a somber expression, as she had not noticed the girl watching, by the open double doors serving as an exit. Sarah tugged her princess Anne braid and smiled it was fake, Bay took the small amount of reassurance the smile gave her gladly. The woman stood, letting her fingers glide the edge of her chin fondly. She walked to the nurse stoically. Bay recalled her previous thoughts but with the exemption that Sarah was also being lead to the executioners hand.

Knees held tightly to her chest, Bay continued on her work. Denying herself that she was deliberately take her time placing the blocks and paying too much attention to edge alignment. When deciding in what position the attic roof- a very important segment of the house- should be placed, her guardian appeared beside her. Face guarded, but voice giving little away, Sarah said, "Good job. What building is it embodying?"

"Madame Lalourie's mansion. The one in that book from New Orleans about haunted attractions. This house is definitely haunted, I'm positive of it."

The woman wrinkled her nose in distaste, "I remember that house. The one with the tortured slaves hidden in what barely could be called an attic. I've told you before not to read matter of that genre. Your mind already dips toward desolate thoughts with very little stimulation."

Used to Sarah's show off like speaking, Bay simply nodded her head like she had for this repeated conversasion. Her guardian took her hand and lead her out of the hospital and into the street. They walked in silence, hands still holding tight as storm clouds threaten the city.

o.O.o

Alec ran swiftly under the onslaught of rain. Arriving under the thankfully roofed stoop, he knocked on the stately door and shook the rain off his coat as best he could. The door opened moments later. Upon noticing the state of her guest, the woman standing in the doorway pulled him in and helped remove his coat with barely more than mild exclamations.

"Did you even think of putting a water repellant rune on your coat or did you just want see how much water you could retain?" Asked she in an exasperated tone notable in mothers.

"Hello, Aline," Alec said, cheeks stained red, "I was two minutes away when it happened. I figured I'd get more wet stopping the draw a rune than if I were to run. I think I was wrong."

Aline smiled fondly before pulling Alec into hug. "I missed you," She mumbled fondly.

"Missed you too. It's been awhile."

Pulling away she said, "Every time I go to the New York institute I never see you there. I have to take my gang all the way to your place just to see you and Magnus. How is he, by the way?

Alec dipped his head, completely disentangled from the fellow shadowhunter. "You know why you haven't." He said resolutely. People had noticed that when a conclave meeting was held at the institute that he never showed. He was fully informed, but unless it happened to be held elsewhere, he wasn't present. When conclave members noticed that mother and son were on two different sides of the vacancy any meeting was held, it began to click in their minds. Most just ignored the feud, having heard of Lightwoods and their pension for long held grudges. "and Magnus is doing well. I've been keeping up contact with him while I've been in Alicante."

"That's good," She said leading him out of the elegant foyer and into the sitting room. They sat down on opposite couches, a small table stacked with young drawing was the only thing to separated them.

"So where are my god-kids?" Alec asked.

"The three of them are upstairs napping." Aline said with a fond smile, "I figure we have about fifteen minutes until the older two rush down the stairs with baby in arms."

"How old's Micah? He still takes naps?"

"Five and probably not for much longer. He keeps informing me that he's a big boy now and big boys don't need to nap. Personally naps are my God-send I'd never get anything finished." She gestured across the room to where her office was located.

Aline held a small position in the counsel. Her joe allowed her to work from the home most of the time. What she did specifically Alec didn't know, but he did ask to learn. They continued their conversation. As Aline foretold earlier, the baby cried and minutes later Micah and Marceline could be heard toddling down the stairs. Marceline ran to Alec and jumped into his arms. Micah, holding the baby, Samuel, tight to his chest, followed slower. He handed Samuel to his mother and gave Alec the same treatment.

All three were adopted and each had big brown eyes. It was quit difficult to obtain nephilim children through adoption as institutes were the most likely and expected to care for them. Jia Penhallow was a large aid in the Penhallow-Blackthorn children's adoption.

The children talked animately with him and their mother for a while, the baby sat in the play pen, before running off to play. Aline brought up the subject of Alec's trip to their home city. He recalled what he could about Clave matters they both knew she had more knowledge of and Places he visited vaguely just for their memory. Just as he was to tell Aline about the peculiar yet amazing little girl he'd met, the front door opened.

Aline got up and went into the foyer. Alec stood politely as Aline was followed by Helen. They greeted each other quickly. Micah and Marceline came running in to greet their mom. After kisses were exchanged and questions were waved away for later, Helen collapsed on the couch opposite him. Aline put her arm around her partner's waist, pulling her close.

"Rough day?" Alec asked amused.

"No, just a long one. I had to work another shift because the hospital didn't want newbies around." Helen said with the slight exasperation that always lit her voice. Only now more pronounced. "We had a very large benefactor, who practically paid for the new lab, come in today with her sick child. Though, the girl made it very clear that she was not her mother. Poor child. I lead the girl's guardian to Dr. Wilson's office. It happens that she has cancer."

Though said under the terms of doctor patient confidentiality, Alec started. He only knew one person who would insist that the woman taking care of her, for what he expected the child's life time, was not her mom.

He took a deep breath, "Her name wasn't Bay, was it?"

She didn't answer immediately, but the look of surprise on her face spoke in itself.

o.O.o

Hidden under the covers and snuggled close to Sarah's heated body, Bay should have felt warm. It was a foreign concept now. It probably had been for a long while. It was only recently that she discovered how true the coldness was that surrounded her. Caught up in the heat of her search, Bay paid little attention to matters past her dad. That included self health.

"But it's just not fair!" Bay had exclaimed, kicking the leg of the chair on which she was seated.

"I know, Sweet Heart, but life isn't always fair." Sarah told her from where she knelt in front of Bay. Though there were tears falling every few blinks, Sarah still held herself like the anchor she was to the young girl.

"It's not- not fair." Bay's throat constricted around her words. Unlike Sarah, Bay had long since let tears fall. The witchlight that illuminated the kitchen was dimmed significantly for the over sensitivity emotion brought her eyes. Then golden and not blue. "Nephilim never get cancer. Our immune systems are far better then some mundane disease to invade it," She spat mundane like a curse, "especially leukemia."

Sarah began to reach for the girl's face, but was slapped away angrily. She knew not to get defensive when Bay reacted this way. Bay wasn't naturally an angry or violent person. Often times she scoffed at exaggerated shows of physical feats. But she was young and hadn't an idea how to channel her frustration.

"I understand you are upset and confused and that this is a lot to take in, but in no way do I want you to stay angry forever."

"Yes ma'am." Bay said more out of habit then seriousness.

Sarah opened her arms wide. "Come here."

They sat in the other's arms on the kitchen floor. Sarah rocked Bay gently while she cried, kissing her forehead and pink cheeks; whispering words of comfort and love.

"Maybe if you're not going to fall asleep in my bed you should sleep in your own bed." Sarah whispered above her red comforter.

Bay snuggled in closer, reveling in the rare show of affection sleeping in her guardians bed was. She didn't dare let it slip by. "I'm fine."

"If you're positive." Sarah didn't say anything past that. The young nephilim assumed she was either asleep or nearly there after she hadn't stirred for some time.

Bay took a few deep breaths to fight away any anxiety attack that may be lurking in the shadows. She was becoming acutely aware of the coming future. Sarah and she were going to have a meeting with Dr. Wilson to discuss what stage she was on, it appeared that the cancer looked to be found early, treatment plans, and most likely where she was going to get shipped off. She hadn't lied when she'd cried that it was rare nephilim got cancer. It was practically unheard of actually. She'd be surprised if there was a cancer center in Alicante. Leaving her home was almost as scary as what to do when she was in need of her drug. There had points in the day when she would have loved an early dose of the purple liquid.

Sarah had offered to keep her tutors away for the week. Not without shame Bay had declined saying the distraction would be welcome also they were informed by the hospital and would probably want to check her out themselves. Probably even bring a silent brother along. Brother Joshua was their favorite.

She hated lying to Sarah. She especially hated lying to Sarah because her tutors told her. Bay was nearing the end of the rope. If she didn't get her dosage by monday she didn't know what would happen. She took a few more breaths. Her drug took away the edge of tiredness and weakness she had felt the entire summer. Even the yearly trip to country had to be cut short because she was to sick to play outside. Was it so wrong to use something to make her feel better? Like a medicine? She didn't know.

Bay was startled when Sarah spoke. "You're thinking to hard. Stop or I'm putting you in your own room."

She answered with a nod against the elder's stomach.


	14. Chapter 14

"Jace where are you going with your bag?" Alec asked from the couch where he was drinking his morning coffee. Robert was still asleep upstairs. Jace dropped his duffle bag at the door before running back up the stairs. He came back minutes later with the clothes bag. Alec sat up. "Is my robe in there too?"

Jace spared him a glance before jogging back upstairs, He answered as he swerved around Robert, "Yes."

"Was that aimed at me or you?" Alec's father asked, making his way to the brightly illuminated kitchen. The coffee was freshly brewed.

"Me… I think." Alec stood, finishing the last of his drink. He walked to the counter that separated the living room from the kitchen.

"Are the two of you leaving today?"

"I don't know. He hasn't told me when we're leaving."

Robert nodded, bringing a blue mug to his lips. "That would be something I'd check on, if I were you."

Alec groaned irritably, "You're probably right."

"Thank you, I try."

The younger shadowhunter smiled, giving his dad his empty mug. He walked to the bottom of the stairs.

"Jace," he called. When their was no answered he began the climb and called again, "Jace, what are you doing?"

The parabatai almost collided the second Alec placed both feet on the upper landing. The blond shoved Alec bag into his arms none to gently. "Take that down." He said. Jace walked into the bathroom and began to fill two small bags with their toiletries.

"Sorry, did you pack my stuff?" Alec asked. He went to his room and to his dismay the entirety had been cleaned spotless. He hadn't been downstairs an hour. Alec almost questioned Jace about it, but had a second more pressing thought. "Clary's not in labor, is she?"

Jace, the bags now full in his one hand, exited the bathroom. "Why, did she contact you," He asked not without anxiety. An under tone of jealousy hid under his voice. If the blue-eyed nephilim didn't know him so well he wouldn't have noticed. Thinking longer on Jace's behavior, he realized that if Clary was indeed in labor he wouldn't have had to ask.

"No, just curious," Alec answered in a calm fashion. There were occasions in the past months that Jace would get this look in his eye. A uncertainty that never graced him before his up coming parenthood. In those occasions when he was present Alec would use his role as the other's parabatai and simply breathe for him. They shared emotions. They were blood brothers.

"Yes, I packed your bag," Jace said, throwing the small bag full of Alec's toiletries onto the duffle he already held in his arms. "I thought that was obvious. Really Alec, you're old enough to do it yourself."

"So we're leaving?"

The blond rolled his eyes, flew down the step, and threw his bag with the rest at the front door. "No, we're going to camp out in the living room," He called up sarcastically, "I told you we were. Venimous vedimus vicimus, but now we must leave."

Alec stepped down, and leaned over the rail, "When did you tell me that?" He asked, annoyed.

"A couple nights ago. I told you to call Magnus." Jace said, exiting the kitchen with a cup of coffee being lifted to his lips.

"No, you didn't." He said in an exasperated breath, "You never told me when we were leaving or to call Magnus."

Tapping his index finger on the mug's rim thoughtfully, Jace said, "Well, you might want to talk to that husband of yours because we're leaving in an hour."

o.O.o

"Clary, why don't you have a seat?" Magnus asked, gesturing to her dinning room chair he conjured up minutes before. The red-head stood next to him, stubborn as always, arms crossed over her chest.

"For the last time, I'm fine. I don't need to sit." Clary said hugging her green, plaid coat tighter to her body. It wasn't cold. She shifted to the other leg and tried to hide a wince when weight was placed on her other foot. Though trained as a shadowhunter to be a creature of indifference, her emotions were always readable. Her green eyes were an open book. She was impatient, always had been, but even more now that Jace was minutes from walking through the portal. Magnus had to admit that was anxious to see Alec step through. Because of the time difference Clary and he were standing outside Jace and her brooklyn townhouse at three am.

Magnus leaned against the brick wall, and closed his eyes for a minute. He fought back a smirk when he heard the ginger give-up, taking a seat. He opened his gold, slitted eyes training them on Clary's hand, which resting on her stomach. She had her eyes closed and was leaning heavily against the backrest. She had been informed by Jace when the parabatai were arriving days ago. Clary told him later that day, knowing that he'd be the one to receive the two from Alicante. He smiled fondly at the memory of Alec calling him over an hour ago. Magnus, fully awake and getting ready to leave, answered his phone expecting this very thing to happen. The first words out of Alec's mouth were apologies for waking him up in the middle of the night.

Not a minute later both Magnus and Clary's attention was grasped when the portal's characteristic swishing noise grew in volume. Jace strode out first grinning smugly, a clothes bag draped over his shoulder like a model. Alec, carrying both duffle bags, glared at the back of the blond's head. He mumbled something Magnus couldn't make out. It didn't matter because Alec's attention was on him. He felt the butterflies that fluttered every so often when Alec looked at him. Alec made him feel.

"Hey." He said, throwing one of the duffle bags toward where Jace and Clary were standing. Jace was fussing over her while Clary looked happy to just have him home. She kissed him. That worked to keep them busy.

Alec made a face at the couple and walked to where Magnus was still leaning against the brick, hands in pants pockets. "Miss me?" Magnus asked.

The nephilim stood in front of him. He shrugged in replied, eyes glinting with amusement.

Magnus opened his mouth in mock horror. "Should I be worried, Alexander? Has my trust been misplaced?"

A late summer's breeze ruffled the hairs on Alec's head as he scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion. After a moment, when realization set in, he rolled his eyes in a way only a Lightwood could. His expression was serious. "You shouldn't think like that, Magnus."

Magnus pushed himself off the building's side with his booted foot, his hands still in the deep purple pockets. He walked to Alec until there shoes were touching. The warlock lifted his ringed hands to his husband's chin, stroking gently. He placed a firm kiss on Alec's lips, keeping it short, but full of love in the mind of Alec's dislike of excess public affection.

"Even if you didn't miss me, I still missed you." He delivered one more kiss. "Very much so."

"You make it very hard not to reciprocate those feelings." The shadowhunter replied, pulling the downworlder in an embrace.

Over Magnus' shoulder Alec saw Clary looking distressed under Jace's fretting. She caught his eye and gave him a look he himself must have had many times before. He pulled away from his love and called over to the couple, "Hey Jace, she's fine. There's no need to smother her."

Jace glared, but there was no real mirth behind it.

Magnus spoke with his usual air of indifference. As if he were simply an amused spectator. "Well, this has been a pleasant reunion, but it feels like a good time for us to depart." He eyed the chair sitting in the middle of the small front lawn and waved his hand nonchalantly. "I will dispose of that properly."

"No, I'll get it. It's my chair anyway." Interrupted Jace, picking up the piece of furniture. He carried it up the stairs quickly, depositing it just inside the thresh hold, before jogging down the steps silently and taking Clary's hand in his own. "See you thursday for dinner?"

"Yeah, we'll bring corn." Alec answered. Thursday night dinners had become tradition amongst the Lightwoods. "I'll see ya."

The rest of the group said their farewells and exchanged hugs, before the expecting couple closed their front door.

Magnus and Alec began their ten minute walk home. The nephilim began to regale things from his trip before he stopped suddenly. "Sorry, I'll tell you about it later. You probably want to go back home and to sleep."

"I think I want to do something else." He said with a smirk, stepping closer to the warmth Alec's sweater and jeans clad body emanated.

"Do you now?" Alec raised an eyebrow, matching his better half's smirk. He linked their hands together, and pulled him across the road toward home.

"What can I say? I missed you." Magnus planted a few clumsy, chaste kisses on the nephilim's lips. Small promises of more to come.

o.O.o

Bay stood stoically as Rabbi Direbloom entered the small room. It was one of the few rooms in her synagogue used for pray or to consult with the rabbi. Sarah, standing beside her, shook his hand respectfully. He took it with barely hidden distain. It wasn't unknown that Sarah and he didn't always see eye to eye. Rabbi Direbloom was old. He had lived through WWII and was a firm believer that one should study Judaism to its fullest. Sarah often neglected to take her to tuesday's Hebrew school and, like yesterday, the services.

He leaned in front of her and spoke. His voice low and quiet. His white beard was directly in front of her face. It smelled of malt balls and incense. She wondered vaguely if the stories the other children in the congregation said were true. The Rabbi Direbloom slept in some preserving chamber under the temple and that he was over two hundred years old. The older kids often told rumors about Direbloom to her and her peers. Rebbe Wayland was a favorite among everyone. He taught the Hebrew school here. No one ever made-up rumors about him. He always said Hanukkah matata. She didn't get it.

The three nephilim sat. Two facing one. Sarah talked with the rabbi and Bay was prayed over. It was quiet. Almost to a point were Bay wanted to open one of the sound proof windows and hear the life of her city, Alicante. Instead she sat and spoke when spoken to under the harsh lighting. The witch lights on the wall were only softened by the green scones adorning them.

When Bay had asked Sarah earlier why they were going to the synagogue her guardian had answered simply that in times of sickness many people went back to their roots. Sarah's roots were Judaism. Her mother had left the Shadowhunters to marry her jewish father and converted. She had raised Bay the way she had been raised as parental beings so often did. They didn't eat pork, they went to temple events when Sarah didn't have to work or Bay didn't have studies to accomplish. They celebrated the important holidays (Rosh Hashanah wasn't that far away). They lived their lives.

It was a small comfort to hear Direbloom speak in Hebrew. She didn't know it that well, but when she was younger on rare occasions Sarah would sing little songs to her in Hebrew. They were good memories filled with laughter and little dances. Bay hung her head lower, sinking into the red velvet chair she was curled in, as a depressing thought entered her mind. The girl with big blue eyes doubted she'd have anymore of those memories anytime soon. Or ever.

She almost burst into tears there. Instead, carried in Sarah arms, Bay wet her shirt on the walk home.

o.O.o

Tuesday brought the worst possible part of her day. Self defense class taught by Mr. Brian Wayland. He may have been the son to good, sweet Rebbe Wayland, but he was nothing like his father. He was a meanie.

"Bay, this is the third time you've tried to kick me in the side," He said, an arm locking Bay's leg between his elbow and side. She hopped around on the one foot. He dropped her leg, clutching his close-cut red hair out of frustration. "That isn't even what I asked you to do. I said we were going to block punches not attempt to kick me in the stomach. Go sit down. You'll be talking to the school counselor after class."

Scowl on her face, Bay sat in the circle of children next to Peter. She crossed her legs and stared at the middle of the mat where Julie Carstairs was doing a perfect job blocking Mr. Wayland's punches with her forearms. Her beautiful blonde hair was braided down the back. Bay without thinking tugged her own braid and frowned. She felt a stab of jealousy. Julie's hair was always prettier than hers.

"You're acting out." Peter said as he slid closer to her. "My mom said you would do that."

"Your mom is wrong a lot." She said without remorse. "This must be an accomplishment."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Peter, loyal as ever, about to defend his mother, but think better of it.

Yesterday had been the news breaking day. Her tutors were told first. It had been frustrating and confusing at first when they bickered with Sarah, yelling things back and forth at each other. Bay had sat on the piano bench not playing, but twitching and curling in on herself, the bones in her butt digging into the wood painfully. Mr. Westing had slipped her a bottle before she broke down completely.

It turned into what Sarah would call the blame game. Mr. Phineas told Bay's guardian that she should have been paying closer attention to her. Sarah argued that it have made a difference. Bay would have gotten cancer no matter how much attention was given to her. This went on for sometime. Eventually, after more words regarding Sarah's ability to nurture, brother Enoch was messaged.

The girl was familiar with brother Enoch. He was the silent brother that looked at her when something was wrong. Brother Enoch told her that when she was a baby she used to think the most oddest of thoughts, humming songs in her head or that his black robe looked like it was warm and cozy. He never shared private thoughts of hers with her tutors or Sarah, but would give her a sad smile like he new something she didn't. It wasn't until now that she understood what that thing was.

Later, after having her mind invaded, Bay begged Sarah to let Peter come over. He was probably wondering what happened to her since they didn't walk to school together or her show up at all. The brunette agreed and called Mrs. Everlane. Peter expression when arriving lacked the usual cheerfulness that embodied him when she saw her friend. Especially when they were going to have a sleepover, as the bag his mother brought indicated. Instead he looked suspicious and like he was trying to hide his worry.

The rest of the night was a blur of more tears and trying to fight off the effects of the drug administer earlier. It was easier than the previous dose, but still difficult to not lash out when the world seemed to get overly frustrating. Peter hadn't left her side since Sarah and Mrs Everlane helped Bay break the news. It was likely that the blond would sleep over again.

"When are you going to see the doctor again?" Her friend asked quietly, like a secret only they were privy to, from beside her.

"Tomorrow. Sarah said we may talk about where I'm going to get treated." She answered, keeping voice quiet, but not soft. Never soft. Babies were soft and gentle, and she was no baby.

Peter waited a moment before asking, "What does that mean?"

"What it means is that I won't be dancing anytime soon." Ballet classes were supposed to start this thursday and she was going to miss it. Just one more thing to hate about life, Bay thought.

"No, that not… What I meant to say was where are you going?"

Bay turned to her friend for the first time since they entered the training room. She scrunched her eye brows together in confusion. She hadn't thought of the fact that she may be going away for awhile. As far as she knew there weren't any cancer treatment centers in Idris. They weren't really needed when there was such a low percentage of shadowhunters contracting diseases of that nature. Especially when they lived in Idris.

"I don't know," She answered simply.

o.O.o

Dr. Wilson's office was as simple as him. LIght blue walls, dark leather chairs facing an oak desk, and frames hung along the wall with certificates. Bay and Sarah sat in those leather chairs, Dr. Wilson was leaning over his desk placing his weight on his elbows. By the slight wrinkle on his top, left side of is lips he wasn't going to stay in that position for much longer. Bay began a mental count down.

"Usually I wouldn't say this to a patient- or in this case parental figure- but I know you and your preferences on somethings. Generally I'd say France or Spain, somewhere close and with good statistics, but the treatments I know are run by nephilim." Sarah's face contorted in a sort of apologetic dislike. Bay didn't know the whole story and could't tell you why Sarah was uncomfortable around many nephilim and generally wouldn't let them get close. The girl just thought Sarah was weird. "American policies within the conclave and downworlders are less strict. I have some friends- downworlder friends- that run different hospitals. They're used to dealing with nephilim."

Sarah nodded. The glare of light on her ponytail moved with her head. "That's a far way to travel. The question is, is it worth going across the pond and trying our luck in America."

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. Bay noticed, hiding a smug smile, that he lightly rubbed his elbows with his finger tips. He hadn't lasted a minute.

"I think it would be well worth looking into. You can always quit one doctor and try another if it isn't working out."

"You do have a point, James." The woman said. She blew out a frustrated breath, "It's just a lot to think about… Bay, what are you thinking? You've been quiet."

Bay looked up. Her legs didn't reach the ground. Out of boredom, she had started to swing them and watch as their shadows moved in the patch of sunlight. "What am I thinking about?" She asked oblivious.

Sarah let out another breath, except this time an undercurrent of familiar contentment flowed into the still air. She smiled lightly, relieving some of the tension in the room. It was nice to see Sarah smile, Bay thought, She looked prettier when she did.

"Possibly going to America for treatment. Does that interest you?"

The girl looked at Dr. Wilson sharply, "Where?"

He blinked before answering, obviously not expecting her ask him any questions. "I know of a treatment center in Boston, New York-"

"You mean like New York City?"

"…Yes."

"Sarah, can we go there please?" She asked, her attention fully on her guardian. When Sarah didn't answer immediately, she began to persuade as best she could. "You said you spent time in New York. And why do we have to take forever making a decision. I'm not getting any better sitting here."

The woman rubbed her hands on her jean clad thighs. Bay knew she hit under the belt with her last statement, but it was the first thing she could think of. It wasn't like she was wrong. Sarah turned to Dr. Wilson who was watching them eyes wide in shocked confusion. "She has a point."

He nodded, coming back to normal, "Alright, I guess I'll make some calls and we'll figure something out."

"Alright." She said, and it was final.


	15. Chapter 15

The first thing Bay noticed when stumbling through the portal was the noise. It came from every direction. Like the sound the ocean when pulling away from the shore before a big wave crashed. Alicante wasn't a exactly a peaceful little town. There were always people's voices and horse's hooves on the stone roads, and every day noises, but every sound here seemed to be magnified to an unimaginative number.

A loud beep caused her to jump in her shoes. Bay looked behind her for Sarah, who was stepping through the portal with the remainder of their bags. The warlock at the standing moved out of her way. She looked at the girls startled face and smiled. "That was probably from a car, Sweetie. Nothing to be afraid of."

Before Bay could respond a voice interrupted, "first time out of Idris?"

"Yes," The youngest of the group said to the woman walking toward them on the garden path. She turned towards the portal, uninterested in more advice about going someplace new– she'd had enough of that recently. The portal closed with the help of the green skinned warlock. Bay was seconds away from asking if she could touch his wings, but the lady talking to Sarah caught her eye once more.

In a way she looked familiar. As if Bay had met her as one of Sarah's friends before. She was a tall, pretty woman in her forties. She had blue eyes, and ebony hair. Gray roots were visible only enough for Bay to notice. She realized, more astonished than usual, that the lady in front of her was Alec's mom. They looked exactly the same.

"Are you Alec's mummy?" Bay interrupted as the woman began to walk away each carrying a bag of one size or another. Maryse turned to look at the girl. She had an odd expression for a moment, one Bay didn't understand.

"Yes, I am," she answered, her voice guarded. "How do you know him?"

"Oh, he's my friend," the girl said with a proud smile. By a sliver of unrealistic hope, she looked behind the lady toward the front of the institute. "Is he here? I heard he went back home. Am I right?"

"Bay," Sarah began to scold her, probably for being too intrusive, but the blue-eyed woman answered in a way much like Bay's own.

"He isn't here at the institute, but yes, Alec is in New York."

The girl turned toward Sarah with hopeful eyes. Sarah noticed and her face turned stern, "Sweetheart, look around you. We are in a new place with things to do. Don't get your hopes up."

Bay set her eyes down cast, "Yes, ma'am."

"Ah don't let the girl feel sad." said the warlock, his voice deep and a raspy. He spoke to Bay, "Hey, new place also means new adventures."

She looked at him and Sarah must have caught her facial expression. Not a moment before Bay was going to open her mouth; Sarah covered it with her hand. "Yes, thank you," she said quickly, pushing Bay behind her. "Is there any way I can pay you later. I have my hands full."

The lady interrupted, "I'll pay, If you won't take my offer to stay at the–"

"No, we discussed this. I only had the portal open here because I had to check in with you. God knows why I have to do that. Because-"

Sarah was cut off when another horn honked. Except this time much closer. Bay jumped again.

"I believe that would be your ride." said the nameless green man.

o.O.o

Bags finally stuffed into the boot of the car, Sarah closed the yellow door shut with a bang. Bay sat on the far side of the seat, saying nothing. She was pushed in without a chance to be at least weary of this giant machine Sarah called a taxi. The driver started the car and the whole being of it rumbled under her. For the third time that day she jumped, eyes wide on the road moving under them. This place was not like home.

"Hey girlie, you've got to put your seat belt on," said the driver, turning her attention away from the blurry tarmac to a mirror stuck oddly in the middle of the window. His dark, brown eyes switched back to the road then to her eyes expectantly. Bay looked at Sarah, who was writing in her notebook mercilessly, and notice that she was wearing two straps One across her chest and the other across her lap.

It wasn't until the cabbie caught the older woman's attention that Sarah came back to reality. She dropped the notebook and proceeded to show Bay what the man upfront was talking about. "Why," Bay asked as the buckle made a sounding click, "do I have to put this on?"

"It's for your safety," Sarah responded.

The girl set her lips in an attempt to impersonate an adult. "That hasn't been proven yet."

The brunette laughed, "Yes, I'm pretty sure it has."

"If you don't mind me asking," the cabbie said, turning a corner and causing Bay to grasp at the door handle. Not because the turn was sharp, but because she didn't know the feeling before. "Where are you two from?"

"England," Sarah lied without pause, "A small village near oxford. This is the first time she has been in a car actually."

"Seriously, well let me be the one to show you the ins and outs of this fine instrument," he said, not questioning her words. Bay notice that peeking out from under her guardian's blue thermal's sleeve was a rune that hadn't been there previously. Sarah had glamoured him.

The man, who then introduced himself as Fernando, pointed out what things were called (she now knew the mirror he had looked at her through was called the rear view window), and explained to his best understanding how the vehicle worked. The flow of new information calmed her enough that she finally braved looking through the window at the new world passing by.

The noise wasn't as loud behind closed doors, but it still flowed in through the cracks like a part of the air you could breath. It mixed well with the people walking on the side walk and passing in front of the cab when stopped at a red light. Like the street signs everything was run on electricity. The signs that read names of hotels and restaurants and shops were hung on the side of skyscrapers. Buildings bigger than the glass towers of her city.

If Bay had to summarize her surrounding she would choose constricting. There was hardly a place where people weren't stalking, walking with pets, carrying grocery bags, or small children clothed in jackets. The small roads and corners that weren't occupied with beings, who were nothing short of a different species, brought the question: what was so bad that they weren't? Sarah had explained to her that New York was not Alicante. There were no wards, no protection from demons and other nasty beasts other than the nephilim living in the city; everyone here was a stranger, never to be immediately trusted; and, on a positive note, the food here was better.

The two nephilim arrived at their destination shortly. After filling out registration and other pleasantries, Sarah succeeded in glamouring an orderly to help them carry their few bags to their private room. The room that were to stay in for the duration of the stay. The walls were painted a bland, pale blue, which considering the white walls of most the hospital was a relief (didn't they know that white stood for death?). Copies of lesser known paintings were framed over the dresser and small desk. A bed laid in the left side of the room while another on the right by the desk, looking as though it had been wheeled in the none to distant past.

Sarah threw a suitcase on the blue, leather love-seat with a sigh. "Well," she said, taking a seat, "I suppose it could be worse."

Bay nodded minutely, too preoccupied in her new surroundings to really listen. She slid her fingers over the bed sheets. They weren't as soft as her sheets at home. Another wave of anxiety ran through her chest. She clenched her fist on the bed, trying to control the shaking that was overpowering her shoulders and arms. Sarah was right behind her, pulling Bay loosely to her chest. Enough to feel secure, but not too much to feel like she couldn't breathe properly.

"Hey hey," Sarah said soothingly. "Everything is alright– just breathe deeply, yeah." Soon the girl's breathing steadied, and she turned into the warm body of the adult. "Alright, Love?"

Bay nodded her head into Sarah's stomach as a response.

Sarah held her at arm's length and pulled her side braid back over her shoulder as it had fallen behind her back. "Do you think maybe we could try something different with your hair– other than braids?"

"Why would I want to do that?"

"I don't know. I'm just being silly, I guess," She picked up Bay's suitcase from beside her feet and placed it on the bed. "After we finish unpacking we'll go out for dinner. Sound fun?"

Bay let out an exaggerated sigh, "Yes, ma'am."

o.O.o

"No, Jace, I don't think it's possible for you to seduce a  _beomon_  demon. First, they're asexual and second, the only use a human is to them is food. Better question: why do you want to know that?" Alec said, walking alongside his brother. They were on a patrol that evening in Brooklyn and had been for a few hours. Alec zipped his jacket close as the wind brought cold air from the Hudson river.

"For the same reason I want to know why mundanes apologize so much." Jace twirled his steele absentmindedly with his fingers.

"You have to much time to think."

"I was going to say scientific curiosity."

Alec was about to remark that that didn't make sense when the  _parabatai_ heard a clatter not far up the alleyway. Jace gripped his steele firmly, and Alec nodded at him to walk ahead. They stepped closer to the brick exterior of Beth Israel and into the shadows. Alec got ready his bow as Jace brandished his seraph blade from his weapon's belt. The noise seemed to come from behind a eight ft. fence leading to a smaller alley. It was left unlocked. Jace didn't check behind him at Alec before sliding the door open and barging in.

After a moment, Alec turned the corner; his bow's string pulled back to the side of his lip, a slip of a finger away from hitting an opposing demon right between the eyes. Though instead of a demon his gaze landed on a woman. A woman of very little doubt their kind.

She was leaning on her elbow against the plastered wall, looking overly nonchalant. She uselessly tried to hide a ladder that seemed to lead to the roof. The cage around it also open and unlocked. Under the poor, yellow lighting hanging over a metal door on the opposite wall, he couldn't see her face properly.

When Alec only loosened his grip on the string enough that it wouldn't hit her, the woman doubled over in hysterics. Her intense laughter finally made Jace drop his guard. Jace sheathed his weapons and dropped his arms to his sides. "Nephilim," he said in a bored tone.

"I thought I would have to deal with coppers. Oh, but this– this is just precious!" She said her voice uneven under her laughter. Alec recognized the voice and lowered his bow.

"What are you doing in New York?" He asked stepping past Jace. Closer up there wasn't any doubt that the lady standing a few feet away in a sweater and a pair of jeans still catching her breath was Sarah. He realized with more urgency that if Sarah was here then where was Bay?

"And where's Bay?" He asked sternly.

"Alec?" said a small voice from seemingly nowhere. Before he could register what was happening, the girl in question ran out from a shadowed corner. Her too thin arms wrapped around his waist tightly. "Alec," She repeated happily, "I knew I'd get to see you."

He strapped his bow around his back, mindful of the child's body, and picked her up. She seemed to weigh less than the last time he held her. Alec tightened his grip on her subconsciously.

Jace spoke the words before Alec, "Why are you breaking into hospital property this late at night with a  _child_?"

Sarah, who had recovered from her fit of laughs, rolled her eyes purposely, "If I wanted to be questioned by the clave I would still be in Alicante or staying at your institute."

Pointing out the obvious, Jace said, "You're not answering the question. In which case we might presume that you are, quite possibly, an exile."

"I bothered–  _actually_  bothered this time– to let you people know that I was here like a good girl, yeah, and I still have to deal with this." She said walking closer to the blond.

"Okay," said Alec, stepping between the two, "Sorry, ignore him. His wife is over-due with their first baby. Even I've had problems dealing with him."

"I could tell as much, thank you." She practically huffed.

Before Jace would automatically ask how Sarah could tell, Bay mumbled from where her head rested on Alec's shoulder. Alec noticed she had started to fall asleep, and cradled her closer to his gear. "You have a strand of red hair on your left shoulder and you smell like baby oil and cardboard boxes, twonk." She looked up blearily at Alec, "You smell like sandalwood."

"You could tell just by that?" Jace asked clearly indicating his question at Sarah, who was locking the gate around the ladder, but Bay answered nevertheless.

"No, Sarah probably asked," She paused to yawn. "She's meddlesome like that."

"Okay, enough out of you, sleepy," said Sarah, taking the child from the other shadowhunter's arms. Alec looked at the pair. The dull yellow light shone behind them, casting a dark shadow over Bay's face. They were polar opposites in features, but were so much alike you couldn't confuse them as a sort of mother daughter pair. He didn't know why Bay refused to call Sarah mom. She must not know what she had was good, he thought. It may only be constructed of two head strong persons, but it was still a family. Alec pushed away the pang of jealousy.

Bay crossed her legs around Sarah's middle. If she didn't look so tired the elder woman probably would have made her walk. "Not sleepy," the girl said, tugging her braid across her face then letting it drop.

"The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool," said Jace under his breath.

"And yet I find I am nothing of William," Sarah said without scorn, but with amusement. "I am learned and I wasn't born in the forest. Though like him I thank God for where I was born. Learn to quote properly, or you'll make a bigger fool of yourself."

Jace scowled at her, "You still haven't told us why you're here. We have the right to detain you until you satisfy our curiosity."

"Knock it off, Jace. You're not helping anybody,"  _only making it worse_ , Alec didn't say.

"Yes, Jace, you should listen to your  _parabatai_." Sarah taunted, "Lord, knows he has more brains then you have–"

"Enough!" Interrupted the blue-eyed nephilim, startling everyone including Bay, who up to this point had been silent. "It's late and we're getting nowhere. Who is going to say what so we can both get on with our lives."

There was a minute of silence as Jace and Sarah stared down the other. You could feel the dominate nature roll into the air from their bodies. It looked as though neither would break. Alec was seconds away from playing mediator when Bay spoke.

"I couldn't sleep," she said, "Sarah was taking me on a walk and I thought it would be cool to go on the roof." Her eyes were wide and looking into his with innocence only a child could hold, "She was trying to be nice."

"Shh, Sweet heart," Sarah petted the girls ebony hair. She turned her attention to the male shadowhunters, "When she can't sleep, sometimes we'll take a walk around the block."

"We're sorry to have disturbed you." Alec said, and Jace sent him a look of betrayal. He knows it's only for show. Jace's face had softened only enough that he would know. "Though I would feel better if Jace and I escort you off the premise."

"Why?" asked Bay.

"Because trespassing is illegal," he answered reasonably.

She peered at him strangely, "We're not trespassing. We're staying at the hospital."

Alec looked at Sarah for guidance. The woman smiled sadly at him, "I'm afraid that our little stay in New York isn't much for pleasure. Bay is getting treated for leukemia here."

Alec again found himself without words. His stomach felt like it had dropped out from under him. Jace was stone silent beside him. Bay noticed this and tried to alleviate the tension. "It's alright," she said quickly, "It's not that bad. Did you know that mundanes store dead bodies in the basement? Most don't burn them." At the sound of Alec coughing over his own saliva, Bay scrunched her face in realization of what she had said. "Sorry, I just thought that was cool," she winced. "Never mind, no I don't. Thats not  _normal_."

"I think It's time to go to bed," said Sarah, sliding Bay onto the concrete floor, holding her hand.

Nodding his head numbly toward the gate, he motioned Jace to lead them out. His  _parabatai_  knew what he was feeling and did so without argument. Alec let Sarah and Bay step in front of him. Just as he finished locking the wooden gate with his steele he felt a tap on his shoulder. Looking down he saw that Bay was staring at him expectantly. "Yes?" he asked her.

"Are you free tomorrow morning?"

"I think so..."

Bay put her arms behind her back and widened her eyes innocently. Alec would believe that she got a lot of things by doing that move. "There's a small park on the right side of Beth Israel. It's mostly for the nurses and doctors to eat lunch and old people, but it's still grass." He remembered the park. It wasn't much, but sometimes after appointments long-ago Magnus and he would sit on a bench and just breathe. "I was wondering if you would like to play with me."

"That's something you would have to ask Sarah first," Alec said, glancing at the woman.

Bay gave him a look like he couldn't be more obvious, "She said yes only if you say yes." She tugged on his jacket sleeve and said in the sweetest most pleading voice she could manage, "Please, Alec, I don't have anyone else to play with."

"…Fine," he consented, "what time do you want me?"

Bay grinned wide, "Ten will do."

"You get a lot of things like that, don't you?"

Her smile didn't lessen, but changed slightly more mischievous. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You wouldn't. Now go to bed," Alec ordered lightly, motioning to Sarah.

Bay hugged him again before skipping off to the woman, taking her hand. "Bye, Alec!" she yelled to him with a wave. He allowed himself to smile and waved back. He followed Jace out the other side of the alley

Turning his head back, Alec thought he heard Sarah say something that sounded a lot like, "Don't you feel just chuffed." Bay looked up at her and grinned. He looked forward, walking faster to catch up with Jace, who was quickening his pace to get where there may be a chance to fight an actual demon or two. Alec wanted to shove him against a wall and ask him why he wasn't affected. How he could just walk away with only a thought of a possible fight in the future. Instead all he said was, "How much longer are we supposed to be patrolling?"

Without checking his watch Jace answered, "Three hours."

"Great," the shadowhunter walked forward to the other's side. He tried to feed off of Jace's nonchalant energy. He would need something to get him through the next few hours.

o.O.o

Alec unlocked the door, and shut it behind him quietly. The flat was dark, the only light coming from a candle on a side table. Magnus must have redecorated their flat and left the candle there to inform him of the furniture shift. Usually the things like that would make him smile, but instead he kept his face austere. Alec dropped his gear by the door, threw his jacket where he assumed a couch was, blew out the candle, and walked silently to the bedroom.

Stripping down to his boxers, Alec slipped into the silk sheets of his bed quietly, even though the man on the other side of the bed was probably still awake. He shuffled closer to the other's bare back. Magnus said, humor lacing his voice, "Guessing by the distinct lack of body odor, tonight's little mission wasn't very eventful." At the lack of response, Magnus turned around. Alec looked at him soberly. "What's wrong?" he asked, "Is Jace hurt?"

The nephilim shook his head, "No, Jace is fine." He paused for a moment, searching for words. "My chest hurts."

Magnus continued to look concerned. He placed his hand over Alec's chest, ghosting his fingers over the scarred flesh. His tanned fingers thrummed with energy, searching. "How so?"

Alec took the other's hand in his, and kissed each knuckle, lingering on the silver band. "Not like that, " He whispered, because it was dark and warm and he hadn't spoken in the past few hours, "I hate to sound like this, but I think my heart broke."

"You're worrying me. Usually you give me a blunt response and have finished your half of the conversation by now."

He stared at Magnus' chest resolutely, avoiding the warlock's eyes, when he spoke, "Remember that girl I told you about?"

"You aren't the largest supplier of detail, but yes."

"I saw her tonight. She's in New York getting treated for cancer."

"Darling," said Magnus, cupping Alec's cheek with his other hand, "I'm sorry."

"Why should you be?" Alec snapped, "You've never meet Bay. You're not the one she considers her friend."

There was a pause as Magnus removed both his hands before he asked, "Bay?"

"Yeah, um... her name is Bay," the shadowhunter said. He had lowered his voice, ashamed of his outburst, and looked into the other's eyes pleadingly. He hadn't meant to tell Magnus her name. She was supposed to be another detail in his description of Alicante, but , as he should have know, she wasn't going to be that easy. Now, looking into his husband's eyes, he saw the thoughts that he had tried to repress. If only for his own sanity. "I didn't tell you because–"

"You didn't want me to make a big deal about it," Magnus interrupted, sitting up against the headboard. At Alec's lack of response he continued, albeit harsher, "You think I'm going to demand everything you know about her. Forgive me if I actually hope to see our daughter again! While we're at it I might as well ask if you have met her Goddamn parents."

Alec stared up at him emotionless, cold, "Sarah is her legal guardian. Bay doesn't know her birth parents." Magnus' reply was to cover his face with his hands and groan, frustrated. Alec sat up on his knees leaning forward. He removed the tanned hands, holding them in his own pale ones, his face a breath away from the other's. "Don't think for a  _second_  that your current thoughts haven't crossed my mind a dozen times. That I don't have any clue what to do when I see Bay and Sarah together and all I want is to take Bay away and hold her in my arms. That thinking about someone else's child doesn't hurt me. Because it does, and it can't be healthy to stew over it like I have.

"Where does that leave us?"

"What?" Alec asked, wiping at his eyes as they had begun to sting with unshed tears.

Magnus rearranged them so that Alec's side was resting on the headboard and Magnus was curled into him. "Are we just going to ignore it? Forget anyone mentioned anything."

"No, can't do that." the nephilim said, kissing the top of his husband's head. All thoughts of the previous fight forgotten. They were both too exhausted to begin a feud. "I'm going to see her tomorrow."

"Where?"

"At Beth Israel. I'm going to meet her at ten."

"What are you going to do?"

"Probably play around in the grass, or do whatever she wants."

Magnus nodded, curling closer to Alec's warm chest, "I'm getting cold. do you think we could go back under the covers?"

Alec maneuvered Magnus under their blanket, tucking him in, and placed a kiss on his lips. "I think while I'm up I'll go brush my teeth," the shadowhunter said, sliding out of the bed. He walked out the door and shut it behind him.

o.O.o

As soon as Alec had closed the bedroom door behind him, Magnus sat up and waved his hand over his lap. The three tests he had taken earlier laid in front of him, every one positive. His deal with the faerie hadn't been for naught. Magnus' demands had been clear. He was going to be allowed to carry his and Alec's baby full term without major complications or risks that they easily could have had with their first baby. Except one thing worried him. It had only been a week since Alec had returned and he was already having symptoms.

It wasn't the classic wake-up out of bed and run to the nearest toilet. No, he had always been able to stomach more than that. Magnus only noticed when things he never minded the smell of began to make him feel a tiny bit nauseous, and he just felt  _different_. Like there was a heavy knot in his stomach that wasn't there before. He dared to run his finger tips across his exposed abdomen, pushing slightly. Under his tanned skin it was hard. His body was preparing for the weight he would soon have to carry, his hips widening.

His original plan was to just leave them in the bathroom and let Alexander find them himself. It would likely take him sometime before he found them– for advanced, nephilim sight he wasn't very observant. Magnus would then deal with the results, except now it didn't seem like a very good idea. He would have to think of something else.

Magnus waved his hand again, and the tests were sent to a dumpster down the road. He arranged himself just as Alec had left him, grabbing a pillow from Alec's side of the bed and resting his face in its soft fabric. This left him with two options. One, Alexander would have to take it from him before going to his side, or two, stay on Magnus' side. Neither would likely lead to anything– they'd had their fair share recently– but it was a chance to keep his husband from curling in on himself.

Alec returned shortly, and, seeing Magnus' pillow clad face, crawled over to him. "That's my pillow, you know."

The warlock held the object of their interest out in from of him. "Is it? I guess that would be why it smells like you...," he said, his voice trailing off into the air as if his faux revaluation was something to be considered.

Slipping his head between the dark blue pillow and Magnus, Alec kissed the man fully on the lips. Magnus dropped it and wrapped his arms around the shadowhunter's neck, deepening the kiss. When Magnus began to trail his lips down Alec's chin instead of making that little mewling noise he loved– Alexander probably didn't know he did it and who was Magnus to tell him– Alec said, albeit breathlessly, "We're going to have to get out the comforter soon. It's getting cold faster than usual."

Magnus paused on the pale collar bone, "Is that your way of telling me you're not in the mood." Alec's cheeks reddened, but he nodded nonetheless. "Alright, come here than," the warlock arranged them so his head was wear he could still plant gentle kisses to Alec's neck and chest.

"I'm sorry," Alec said after a minute.

"No need to be sorry, Dear. I figured as much earlier."

Wrapping his arms around Magnus' waist, Alec said, "Goodnight, Magnus, love you."

"Love you too, good night."

 


	16. Chapter 16

Alec stood, hands in coat pockets, on the side walk bordering the hospital's grounds. He was insight of the dark green; double doors patients and nurses walked down the steps or were wheeled down the adjoining rail.

The toes of his shoes were only touched by a few tuffs of grass as he shifted his weight. Stalling was never something he did. Usually Alec would walk into any situation without a second thought and if he felt that he shouldn't be there any more he would walk away. But this was one of those rare occasions if he stepped forward he wasn't going back. A teenager in a wheelchair rolled up behind him, and he took a subconscious step forward. His feet now firmly on the ground.

The double doors chose that moment to open, and bring forth an energized girl and a woman, who none could misunderstand as the person who raised the child. Bay pulled Sarah down the steps while looking around. When Bay bought his eye she smiled and Alec felt his tension slip away. He smiled back, walking toward her. Bay reached him fast and hugged around the waist, not unlike the night prior.

"Why do people never say that flies buzz?" she asked upfront. "Everyone seems to notice bees, but not flies."

Alec was again caught without words. It looked like he would continue to do so as long as he knew her.

Sarah spoke as she walked up to them. Bay having left her to run into Alec. "There was a fly in our room," she clarified.

He shook his head and answered, "I don't know– wrong person to ask."

Bay shrugged, "At least I got to dissect it." Before he could even make a face, she was dragging him toward the playground. "Don't worry I killed it before I did anything. Here, give me your hand."

Alec helped her climb onto the top of the covered slide. She let go of his hand and walked across the yellow tunnel. When Bay swung herself over the rail, the shadowhunter let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

The girl stood on the bridge when she said, "I need you to help me, but you may want to take those." With a smirk she pointed to the steps on the opposite side, "You may break it under your weight."

Cracking a smile, he looked around conscious of his lack of glamour. There was a mother of two pushing the eldest in a swing, the younger asleep in his stroller, and Sarah was sitting herself down on a bench. Laptop being pulled from her shoulder bag as he watched. Excluding the previous, there wasn't anyone in the immediate area."

Alec stepped onto the lip of the slide and hoisted himself on the top, walking across on his hands. At the top he simply flipped over the slide's entrance. Bay glared at him, but he could tell it was only to hide how impressed she was. Though his cheeks were flushed, he smiled. Alec hadn't really thought he would still be able to move his body like that.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked stepping onto the bridge.

Bay loosened her stare, but her lips were tight. "Will you lift me up? I want to do a split across the rails."

"Alright, as long as you know what you're doing." Alec didn't wait for her response as he grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her up. Bay kicked her legs out and grabbed the rail in front of her. Her whole temperament changed when she grinned in success. "Sarah, look!" she yelled.

"Be careful," the woman reprimanded, but with a smile.

Hands still on Bay's waist, he commented, "You couldn't get up yourself?"

Bay's disposition changed again, Alec noticed. She quick to change moods. He didn't know if that was a little girl thing or just her personality, but he made a mental note to be more careful with what he said.

"I'm not very strong and I couldn't hold on to both railings to pull myself up," she said specifically not looking at the man. "You can help me down now, ta."

Until both her boot clad feet were flat on the swaying platform Alec's hands held her. Bay trudged down the steps and stared expectantly at him at the bottom. When he he was in arms reach Bay took his hand once more, walking him in Sarah's direction like a prized horse she had by the reigns.

"May I have my notes please?" the girl asked, directing her question to the woman looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"Which ones?"

"My studies on cross-culture psychology."

Sarah dug through her black shoulder bag. From his angle, Alec could see there were more than a few composition notebooks crowded amongst other papers. She handed the girl a notebook, zipped her up bag, and placed her laptop back on her thighs. Alec, who up to this point has stood awkwardly behind Bay, opened his mouth to talk, but lost his opportunity when Bay asked for a pencil.

"You want everything, don't you?" Sarah said, unzipping the bag and quickly finding a simple, standardized #2 pencil.

Bay wasted no time in taking him away from the wood chip grounds of the playground to another bench seated pleasantly under an oak tree. She motioned Alec to sit down first, then crawled onto his lap.

"Do you think it's possible to love an inanimate object more than a person?" Bay asked, surprising him.

"I don't think so. What makes you ask that?"

She bit her lip in a way that reminded Alec of his sister when she was little. Other than the dark, long hair and equally as long limbs they weren't physical matches. The only thing that Alec connected with the two were how they started off so innocent, but, like Isabelle, he feared that it may be lost sooner than later.

"Sarah's on her new laptop all the time," Bay said as explanation. "Sometimes when it's really early in the morning I wake up because she's talking to someone  _through_  it. I know  _how_ , but I don't like it. She never pays attention to me anymore."

"Paying attention to one thing more than other doesn't mean you love it more. Sarah does pay attention to you. You didn't see how long she really watched you back there."

Bay remained silent for sometime, fiddling with the hem of his sweater. "Do you think it hurts her to look at me?" she whispered.

It may have been the hoarseness or the evident hurt and confusion in the girls voice that made Alec pick her up and set her on the bench, him on his knees in front of her, but it didn't matter. The elder shadowhunter held the younger's gaze, his hands on the edge of the bench, encompassing her.

"Don't you  _ever_  think like that," He said, putting more passion into what he said than he had in a long time. "There is no one in the world that loves you more than her,"  _Except me, I love you more than her. I know I do. I must._

Bay kept their gaze, though her eyes watered. She nodded minutely, quickly, like the warrior she may one day grow to be.  _Will_ , he told himself, not may. He'd fight his way through every dimension of hell if it meant she would get to experience life.

"What stage of leukemia do you have?" Alec asked, keeping his tone curious.

"Two, but there's more than just stages." Bay said. Her demeanor began to take on her normal fascinated outlook. "There's different kinds you know. I have acute lymphocytic leukemia– also called ALL. Did you know it's the most common in kids?"

Alec took a breath before answering, "No I didn't. Are you doing chemo therapy?"

"A little bit. It's my first time today, but the treatment we really want is a bone marrow transplant. It's my best chance for my leukemia to not recur."

He nodded slowly, taking in her words and committing them to memory lest he ever forget what she spoke with passion. In all honesty, Alec was clueless when it came to treatments or what any of those commonly mundane diseases really were. All his current knowledge came from research he had done this morning. "Why can't you get a bone marrow transplant– or can you?"

"It's not that I can't. I'm actually what my doctor called a very good candidate for the procedure," she recited from memory. "The problem is that I need a match, and no one has come up on the registry. Right now we're playing the 'waiting game'."

"Sarah wasn't a match?" Alec asked. Bay shook her head. "Could I be a match?"

She shrugged, "anyone could. It's just a matter of finding the right person."

"No, I mean– Is there some test I could take? You know, so maybe I could donate my bone marrow…"

Bay's facial expression went from confusion to realization to scrutiny as if she couldn't understand why someone would want to do that. Especially for her, and she asked just that.

"Because I want to help," he answered simply.

"Nobody ever wants to help. People always want something in return."

"Who told you that?"

"Mr. Arthur Phineas, my English tutor."

"Wait a moment Arthur Phineas is your _English tutor_?" Alec asked in disbelief. Arthur was a high ranking member of the Clave and a man never to be messed with. A man who almost always had another plan hidden far up his robe sleeves. Alec sat back on the grass, arms behind him holding his weight. Bay saw this as an invitation and slid off the bench. She crawled onto his lap.

"More than that, but I thought that would be a simplified version for you." Before Alec could get more off topic, Bay continued, "Why do you want to help me if you have nothing to gain?"

"I gain the chance to never attend your funeral." The shadowhunter said without any cushioning. Death was topic nephilim dealt with not in kid gloves, but a hand scarred and relentless. It was accepted. It was feared. It was never to be dealt with gently, always with a fighting spirit. Nephilim lived side-by-side with death and Bay, though cushioned by Alicante's wards, knew little else.

Bay looked apologetic at him, but didn't ask for his forgiveness. She acted like an adult shadowhunter and didn't apologize how a losing opponent would be expected. The young lady nodded her head once, staring at him hard, lips tight. Alec realized with a sort of importance that he was leading a life lesson. It was important for their kind to mask any feelings. They could be detrimental in a battle. If she was feeling any hurt she was hiding it well. He matched her stare equally as hard, if not harder testing her strength, for an elongated amount of time. Alec finally relented and offered a smile. Bay returned it in a smaller fashion, almost not looking at him as if embarrassed at his praise.

"Sarah can give you information if you really want…" Bay mumbled.

"I really want," Alec said with clarity.

She huffed dramatically and stood to retrieve her notebook and pencil, her knees digging painfully in his legs when she shifted. When fully seated again he could see  _Cross-culture Psychology_  written in precise scrawl. She opened the composition notebook, and inside were notes similarly in neat penmanship in red and blue ink.

"'Cross-culture psychology'," she began, "'is the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes,' so says this one website called Wikipedia anyway. Mr. Phineas thought it would be a good idea to learn the differences and similarities in mundane and shadowhunters. I thought he was being dumb– who would want to know about  _mundanes_?– but they're actually fascinating. I have a whole bunch of notes on nephilim just from what I knew, but I would really like is an opinion of a shadowhunter who has lived in the mundane world most of his life..."

o.O.o

The rest of their time had been spent in the same manner. Bay asking him questions. Alec answering and staying quiet when she was explaining things. Getting a chance to peak through her note was like getting to peak through any any genius scientist's mind. Everything was organized in a complex way that he would have thought at his age much less her age. The way he simplified it was notes on nephilim customs were listed in red on one half of the paper while notes on mundane customs were written in blue, unless there were similarities than there were separate notes in purple, orange, or green.

Anything he said was written in pencil and, unlike the ink, was drawn in quickly. He answered questions stemming from, 'what do you normally eat' to 'how has living away from Alicante shaped your view of the clave?'" After awhile the questions stopped and they started talking. At one point Bay mentioned that something she liked to do when she didn't have anything to do– a rare occurrence he learned– was to people watch. She acted like she couldn't believe that he didn't know what that meant.

"Don't you ever people watch?" she asked clearly confused.

"No," He answered, "At least I doubt like you mean."

"See that lady with the two kids– one of them swinging?" Alec barely nodded his head before Bay started to list details at lightning speed. "She's three months pregnant with her forth child, lives in northern New York, and she is visiting her father– could be uncle but father's more likely– in the hospital, she owns a furniture store with her husband– they recently got a new shipment of bamboo products– and she plays the french horn when stressed like she is now. Probably doesn't think her father will live much longer."

Alec, who had last encountered Bay perception of people targeted at his brother, which he already knew everything about, shook his head in disbelief. "How can you tell all that?"

Bay watched his reactions intently, yet shrugged for nonchalance. "Depends on what I noticed."

"Okay, what about the fourth child thing."

"There is a toy on top of the one kids stroller that's too old for the boy on the swings. the oldest is probably in school. Before you ask how I could tell she was three months, it's evident just by looking at her, Alec.

Alec decided not to mention that, no, it wasn't evident. To him at any rate. "You might as well tell me the rest."

"I saw her earlier with an old man, he was in a wheel chair and looked weak– that's not cheating. I observed, and observing is not cheating. Her hands are stained with different wood liquors and there's a chunk of bamboo in her hair and on her sleeve. Anyone who plays a type of horn has that half circle on their upper lip."

Alec opened his mouth once, twice, to a point where he resembled a fish. When Bay looked away, he became aware that his lack of response may have been conceived as an insult. He admonished by rubbing her back the way he new he liked and uttering, "I wish I could see the world the way you do."

The girl looked at him curiously. No doubt sorting his own expression into her mind and dissecting it for what it was: the truth. "No you don't," she said raising her voice. "It's horrible. Nobody ever understands what you're talking about and it makes them not like you. People don't like what they can't understand, Alec." Though she was on the defensive, she twisted her body to hint where she wanted him to rub next.

"I'm sure more people like you than you know."

Bay shook her head. She began listing on her fingers, "All my teachers don't like me, the kids both at my school and my synagogue don't like me, the adults Sarah works with are leery of me, the nurses here don't like me– need I go on?"

"Well, Sarah's coworkers are only leery," He offered without much hope. "I'm not very good at making friends too, Bay. I could probably count the people I'm close with on my fingers."

"I doubt it's because they think there's something wrong with you."

Alec thought about it for a moment. As he got older more people respected him as an adult member of the clave. There still were people that looked down on him because of his sexuality, and there were days still were he felt those tiny paper cuts; but, like Magnus had told him, when people really see the things you have accomplished they will judge you accordingly. Maybe all Bay needed was people to see her for what she could do. He wanted to say something clever like Jace, but he was never very good at that. "There is nothing wrong with you."

Bay didn't respond. Instead she let her eyes wander across the lawn. She settled on an elderly man walking his dog some distance off. He tried to speculate what exactly she was seeing in the man. Maybe where he had worked from the way he wore his coat or maybe where he lives by the way he holds the leash… He stopped himself before he really acquired a headache.

"I can't fight," the girl said after awhile, her eyes still castaway.

"What do you mean?"

She grimaced, " _I can't fight_ , Alec. At all. My teachers are always mad at me because I can't block a kick or even throw a  _punch_. When the kids in my neighborhood play Demon Hunt they don't invite me because I can never keep up. That's why people don't like me. I'm not a very good shadowhunter."

Bay watched him then. Her blue eyes angry and dejected as if she had long ago accepted her social standing, and was upset that Alec was messing with it.

"When I was a bit older than you and just starting practice, Jace first moved in with us. He had been trained since he was able to stand how to be a warrior. So he would ask me to spare with him, but I felt like I fought horrible. Jace was younger than me and already he was a better fighter. I thought I'd never be good shadowhunter. I remember planning to run away and get adopted by a mundane family."

Her attention focused entirely on him, she asked, "What happened? You didn't run away, did you?"

He smiled fondly. "No, Jace and I used to have rooms next door to each other and he heard me packing my suit case. He came into my room and asked me what I was doing. I remember answering him something like, 'practicing how to pack clothes'. He didn't believe me at all, of course, and made me tell the truth. Then he said probably the nicest thing he has ever said to me, 'Every warrior has a strength greater than his neighbor's. You're very protective. I think you'd make a great marksman' or something like that. The point is that you don't have to throw a good punch to be a good shadowhunter. You just have to find your strength."

"What's my strength?"

"You're very smart," He said, tapping his finger to her forehead, "The basic fighting skills will come eventually, but I think you'd make a great leader."

Unlike Alec expected, Bay looked as though she were trying to hide her disappointment.

"I mean, if you don't like that idea it was only my opinion," he said quickly. "You can be whatever you want. A scientist, a doctor–."

"A ballerina. I want to be ballerina," She said, her voice edged with finality. "Everyone wants me to be a leader. I don't want to sit in an office all day and figure out the world's problems. I want to dance."

"Can you?"

"Can I what?" Bay snapped.

Alec crossed his arms over his chest. "Dance. If you think you can be a ballerina, I want proof." When Bay stared at him, shocked, he gestured away from them. "Go on, twirl."

Still watching him with disbelief, she got up from his lap. She readied herself and span, her one leg bent so she could only spin on the one foot. As she finished he clapped. He thought he saw her youthful, pink cheek's darken slightly.

"I only did a double," she mumbled

"On the grass, in sneakers. I think that's something to be proud of. Who know's maybe you will be a ballerina."

She sat in front of him, legs crossed, Alec sitting up and mimicking her. Bay opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when a shadow covered her. Alec looked up at the girl's guardian. Sarah had a patient smile, and her bag slung over her shoulder. It was time for them to leave. She pulled Bay up off the ground as Alec got up on his own.

"It's time for us to go." Sarah said. To Bay she asked, "Did you thank Alec for playing with you?"

"When could I?" Alec thought he heard Bay mumble under her breath. The girl hugged him around the waist and smiled up at him. "Thank-you, Alec. I had a lot of fun."

He ran his hand over her French braided hair. "So did I."

Bay went to Sarah and took her hand. Standing obediently at her side.

Alec cleared his throughout before speaking, "Bay was telling me about a bone marrow transplant. I was wondering if it were possible for me to be a match."

"It's not impossible." Sarah looked down at Bay, who shrugged innocently, then back up at him. "If you're a match, which you very likely may not be, it's a lengthy procedure with more than a little discomfort on your side."

Alec wanted to say something Jace would say like, 'I'm nephilim, I'm used to discomfort' or 'I think I could handle anything a mundane throws at me'. Instead he put his hands in his pockets and said, "I don't mind."

Sarah smiled at him in a way he couldn't distinguish, "Then that would be appreciated, thank you."

They exchanged contact information, and Sarah told him she'd call soon about an appointment. She seemed to realize the time and thanked him again quickly before leaving. Bay left him a wave at the door, before disappearing inside.

o.O.o

Alec was leaving the Oncology department when his cellphone rang against his thigh. His sighed when he noticed that Magnus had changed the tune again. Flipping the object of his irritation open, he vaguely glanced at the caller-id before answering, "Hey, Jace, what's up?"

"Clary's water broke," He heard Jace say with a forced calm. "Isabelle is taking her to the hospital. Where are you?"

"Wait– what do you mean  _Isabelle's_  taking Clary. Where are  _you_?"

"I just left the institute. Maryse is in the car. She says hi."

"No she doesn't. I doubt that–"

"Careful, I'm on speaker phone," Jace warned. Alec could hear the smugness in his voice. He covered the phone with his hand and growled. A nurse gave him a dirty look. He stepped over into a corner farthest away from the people around him. Alec whispered darkly into the phone, "Is your soul purpose in life to  _piss_  me off."

"Okay, woah, who shoved a stick up your ass?"

"I think he said his name was Doctor Burt something-or-other, but I stopped paying attention when I saw the giant needle in his hand."

There was a pause on the other end, and the squeak of car breaks. "Your life just became a welcome distraction. Please continue."

"Don't you have a wife to worry about?"

"Yes, that's why you're a welcome distraction. Maryse is doing nothing for me–" There was a muffled sound on the other end. He could only imagine the two of them arguing. Maryse with his hand over the phone and Jace not paying attention to the road. Eventually Jace's voice came through. "I'll have to talk to you later, but whatever is going on with you, I want details." The blonde hung up without another word.

o.O.o

 


	17. Chapter 17

Shortly after Jace disconnected, Isabelle was on the phone with Alec, informing him of similar news. Later, the second call ended, a nurse showed him where to wait. The shadowhunter sat near the door for the maternity ward. He called Magnus with an idea how the conversation would play out.

"Hey, Magnus," he said gently into the line.

He heard a deep cough before Magnus rumbled, "Hello, dear. Are you on your way home?"

"No, I'm going to be here awhile longer. Clary's in labor." Magnus shifted on the other end, and groaned at the sudden movement. Before his husband could utter a word, Alec interrupted, "You're not coming here sounding like that."

"I could either be miserable here where I'm wasting away, or miserable there where I'm supposed to be."

"I'm sure my family won't scorn you too bad in the years to come," Alec half teased.

"I doubt that."

"You're probably right. Either way would you please get some sleep?"

"Alright, but call me later if it looks like it's going to be late."

"Will do."

"And make sure to eat."

Alec leaned back into his chair, rolling his eyes. "Yes, sir," he said good-humoredly.

"I pester only because I care," Magnus spoke, a smile clear in his voice.

"I think we pester each other evenly," he mused. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Talk to you later."

"Bye." Alec attempted to make himself comfortable in the chair, but it wasn't possible– an omen to what would lay ahead.

o.O.o

Bay breathed a sigh of relief when a nurse passed by the door she was hiding behind. She had annoyed the lady, and, as appropriate, the black-haired lady reacted with an attempt at punishing her with pick-up duty. A punishment she didn't deserve. What was so wrong with informing her that her boyfriend was cheating on her with one of the doctors at Beth Israel? Didn't people want to know these things?

She had to guess not because the nurse had begun to whisper yell in a way all adults seemed to do when mad at children. Bay didn't know what to do. Her body running on the potion she had taken not an hour ago in secret, she panicked and kicked her in the shin. This turned out to be a mistake. The nurse became angrier than she had been previously, and reached out to grab Bay. In response, Bay ran.

In front of her visitors and orderlies carried on with noticing her. The girl realized by the glass wall farther down the hallway she was in the maternity ward. A place none of the sick children, including her, were allowed to even stand  _near_. She pulled her jacket sleeve over her ID bracelet, and walked forward. It wasn't like she hadn't gotten all punishments the mundane nurses thought were a 'big deal'. She couldn't remember how many times she had to pick-up the toys in the playroom. Found wandering the halls of a section she wasn't supposed to be in would only further show her the difference in what consequences were considered in the mundane world and her own.

Bay walked to the the half glass wall and peered inside. There were rows of infants that, the girl thought, looked like sacks of potatoes. She couldn't understand the fascination beings of every kind had with babies– even if they were only seen as food or a vital life to take, as fairies saw them. The couple approaching the wall didn't pay her mind, their attention of the second baby from the right. A nurse she didn't recognize began to speak to the couple. When she began to mention another child of their's, the one she thought standing next to them, Bay took this as a sign to wander somewhere else. She headed where more people were loitering, toward a waiting room.

A red-head boy sat with a sketch book on his lap, a few seat away from a party of persons, all trying to keep themselves occupied as the boy was doing. Bay thought he was near her age, and decided he looked interesting. She plopped herself onto the chair next to his. As she fell he jumped, clearly shocked at his new visitor. Unobservant mundane, she thought before she saw a woman, no question his mom, who showed scars from past marks. The boy was nephilim like her, and likely as bad as her when it came to the physical qualities attributed with their kind.

"May I help you?" he asked with trepidation.

"Maybe, possibly," Bay responded flippantly, "Just if anyone asks, I'm your sister."

He was quicker than she expected. This revelation came when he informed her simply, "you're Asian."

"Yes, you're white," she tapped his nose, "and judging by your nose you have a bit of French in you. May I call you Pierre? I've always wanted to call someone Pierre."

"No, my name is Jake." He snapped his sketchbook to his chest when he caught her peaking. "Hey, don't look at that!"

The girl gave him a skeptical look, "There is no need to yell. I thought that was a very good tree."

It was his turn to look skeptical, "you really think so?"

"Yes, I never lie when I think something is good or not. May I see it again?"

Jake handed it to her wordlessly, yet watched her carefully incase she did something weird. Bay studied the picture.

"Is this an oak?" she asked after some time.

"I don't know. I drew it from imagination."

"Impressive," she shrugged, turning the pages of the sketchbook. They were filled with drawing of people and many different kinds of trees. She wondered briefly if he did those from imagination, too. "Most of the kids here can't draw worth squat."

"Can you draw?"

Bay scoffed, "not at all."

"Oh, my mom and sister are both artists. It's a family thing, though my dad can't draw either."

"You mean the lycanthrope, sitting by the red-head?" she asked without looking up.

The boy looked at her alarmed. "How did you know that?"

Bay almost told him it was because they had the same facial shape, but then realized he meant how did she know he was a werewolf. She watched him with disbelief. "Can't you tell," she asked, shocked.

"Tell what?"

"That I'm nephilim like you."

If possible, Jake became more alarmed. He ran his eyes over her body, likely trying to see if he could find any differences between when she was just some nosy kid to when she became a shadowhunter. "You don't look like nephilim."

Bay raised her eyebrow, "What do nephilim look like?"

"Muscular, covered in runes– I don't know I've never met one my age before."

"Then, nice to meet you, Jacob. My name is Bay." She placed her hand in-between them. He shook her hand, but carefully. As if he was afraid she would bite him.

"I liked to be called Jake, not Jacob. It's sounds old."

"I wanted to call you Pierre, but it looks like neither of us are going to be happy."

The lady with red hair noticed Bay's presence, and walked toward them. "Who's your friend?" she asked Jacob.

"Her name is Bay."

The young girl whispered, "Now would be the perfect time to practice."

"Practice what?" he asked.

"If you can lie to your mom, you can lie to anyone."

Jacob continued to look at her confused, until his eyes lit up with realization. "She's my sister," said the boy to his mother.

The woman raised both her eyebrows, only somewhat amused. "I can see the resemblance." She held out her hand to the girl. "You must be the girl Maryse was telling me about. The one from Alicante. Hello, I'm Mrs. Garroway"

Bay nodded, "Good evening, ma'am. Yes, but I'll be leaving in a week. There's a room, around the corner, where kids can play. May I escort your son there?" she inquired, stately. Sarah said it was easy to impress adults when you used your best English. She hoped it would work.

Mrs. Garroway debated with herself, and, if it weren't for Jake's plead of boredom, she may have said no. Bay pulled him out of seat without warning and turned to corner. she let go of him, striding through a pair of doors leading out of the ward and to her section of the hospital.

Slipping through the doors behind her Jake asked, "How far away are we going?"

She lead him into a lift, and pushed the button for level two. As the doors shut closed Bay said, "To the other side of the hospital."

He stuttered, "you said we were going around the corner!"

"I lied. I was a bit surprised that your mom didn't realize it. Why would there be a place for kids where babies are born? We sick kids aren't allowed anywhere near there."

"Then why were you there?"

She looked at him without emotion as the lift was filled with the chatter of hospital life. "You ask to many questions," Bay remarked, walking into the hall. Jake, with nowhere else to go, followed close behind. She lead them past a nurses station and into a room filled with toys and crayons and a gaming system. Children littered here and there, filling in time before appointments. A couple of people greeted Bay, and she returned them. At one particular hello, Bay froze.

A stout boy faced the girl, his body turned away from the paused game on the television screen. When Bay didn't respond, he stood. "Aren't you going to say something, skinny?" he sneered. "You never greet someone without saying more than needed. What's wrong with you now? Cat got your tongue?"

"Nothing is wrong with me, Bartholomew," Bay snapped. She knew that calling him by his full name would strike harder than any obvious insult such as chubby or fatso.

Bart looked around quickly to see if anyone had noticed. "I told you never to call me that."

"You told me a lot of things, but I have a problem with listening."

"Who's the nerd behind you? Did you pay him to be your friend?"

"He's not my friend. I only just met him."

From behind her, Jake spluttered indignantly, " _thanks_."

"Why don't you take your  _not friend_  and leave."

"Just like your dad wants."

Three things happened in the time it would take you to strap the  _Velcro_  over your shoes. The other boy's face went a terrible shade of red, his fist slammed directly into Bay's eye, and Bay stumbled back into Jake, effectively knocking them down in a pile of limbs. Someone in the background squeaked and yelled an, "I'm telling," before the red could lighten in the boy that was left standing.

Bay jumped off of Jake and flipped Bart onto his stomach. She grabbed his arm, pulling it behind his back. "Punch me in the face again and I swear on the Angel I'll– Hey, let me go!" The red-headed boy pulled her up and put himself in-between them.

"Fighting is never the answer," Jake said sternly.

Bay shook him off. "It is when you're faced with a horde of demons, you useless mundie."

Jake looked furious, "Just because I'm a pacifist doesn't mean I'm not a shadowhunter."

Before Bay could reply Bart snuck-up behind them and lunged at her, elbowing Jake's cheekbone in the process. Bart didn't succeed in pinning Bay to the ground as she had swerved out of the way and kicked him in the back, causing him to stumble, but not fall. The rest of the fight continued as a blur of punches and grabs until it was fully stopped by male orderlies, who held each child trapped in their arms. They were each brought into a separate room to calm down. Bay groaned as the nurse with the cheating boyfriend began watch over her.

The girl was lucky that their was no lights on, or they would surely be going wild.

o.O.o

Alec returned to the waiting room after a call with his husband. He took his seat next Isabelle, and returned to acting civilly around his mother as they had agreed on earlier. Alec thought she had wanted to say more, but instead they simply shook hands. It was a couple minutes before he noticed one of the members of the group they had constructed was missing.

"Where's Jake?" he asked Jocelyn.

"He ran off with this little girl a minute ago."

"Her name didn't happen to be Bay, did it?"

Jocelyn fully detangled herself from the conversation between Luke, maryse and herself. "You know her?"

Though he had been only half-joking, Alec felt a protective surge. What was she doing wandering around and picking up strangers who happened to be boys. His logical side knew Jake enough to trust him, but the side he had yet to name only recognized possible dangers.

The over-protective woman recognized his expression. "They said they would just be around the corner. She must be the little girl you met in Idris."

Though mildly irritated that a woman he rarely spoke to knew about him and Bay, Alec accepted her answer. What was there to know, he wondered. All he could be was her friend.

The speakers turned on and a woman's voice announced,  _Could a Jocelyn Garroway and Sarah Miller please report to the nurses station in_ _Oncology_ _, thank-you._

The lightwood and Garroway families silenced their conversations, some even startled from their nap. Alec knew what was going on before Jocelyn stood to leave.

Alec quickly followed and offered to take her there. She consented, motioning him to take the lead.

"How do you know where we're going," the red-head woman asked when the elevator doors closed.

"Bay's room is near the nurses station."

"Leukemia, isn't it? What stage?"

"Two," he answered shortly. He knew there was nothing to startle his anger at her, but he hated to be reminded why Bay was here. Even if her being here meant he could visit her. He would still give anything for her to be healthy.

The doors opened and he walked the distance it took to get to the children's section. Sarah was already there speaking sternly to Bay. Jake sat by a nurse who was wiping blood away from his torn cheekbone. Jocelyn hurried to him. Alec walked toward the familiar woman and young lady silently, slipping his hands into his jeans.

"Bay and a couple other boys got into a fight," Sarah told him. Bay's back was to him as Sarah continued to inspect her. Alec was itching to see if there was any damage. "I suppose you heard over the intercom?"

He nodded. "I guess Jake was one of those two boys, since I brought his mom here. I never took him as one who would start a fight. What happened?"

"From what I understand he didn't. Bay did."

" _I did not!_ " the girl in question exclaimed. She turned briefly to Alec and repeated, "I didn't."

Before she turned back, he saw the beginnings of a black eye and a split lip.

Sarah asked, "Would you watch her for me? I have to talk to a couple mothers."

When she was gone, Bay turned fully to him. Pieces of her hair had fallen out of her braid were strangled across her shoulders, her lip was swollen, and the coloring of the of the bruises mismatched her blue eyes.

"You're going to tell me what happened, and don't waste my time beating around bush, " Alec said coldly. In the back of his mind he could hear the voice of his mother when he and Jace were kids and had destroyed a rack of weapons, fighting over who got to go on beams first.

The young nephilim accepted his tone, no doubt getting a similar one from Sarah previously. She took a breath before beginning. "That fat kid over there is a jerk. He told me to get lost, I told him that his dad wanted to leave him, so he punched me in the face."

Alec bit back his anger, and breathed through his nose. "How did Jake get roped in?"

Alec was surprised to hear her growl, "I  _had_ the fight  _stopped_ , but the stupid pacifist couldn't see that having Bart in an armlock was stopping anymore from happening. He pulled me off then Bart tried to tackle me into the ground. Long story short, Jake got elbowed in the face and I kicked him in the stomach, Bart has minor abrasions and a bruised rib. Probably a bruised arm, too."

"Did you purposely kick Jake in the stomach?"

"...Maybe."

The elder ran his hands over his face and into his hair, tugging at the ebony locks. "At least you know you're guilty."

"I never said I started it."

"That doesn't mean telling him that his dad was going to leave him didn't spur the fight. I don't blame whoever Bart is. Imagine if your dad left you."

Bay went rigid. The blue in her eyes became the dark color of a storm as she glared with long buried anger. "Don't say that because it's not true."

Alec realized what he had said with a gut sinking feeling. "I didn't mean it like that," he stammered quickly.

Bay pushed past him angrily, heading for her room. He tried to reach out and catch her, but she ran before he could reach her. Alec was stopped from following when his cellphone beeped with an text from Isabelle.

 _Jace just came out and told us baby Maxwell is coming very soon,_ the message read _. Where are you?_

The shadowhunter sighed, curling his hand into a fist and releasing a few times, before responding,  _Be up in a minute. I'll tell Jocelyn and Jake. Try not to make a big deal out of Jake._

o.O.o

It was eight o'clock and the cashier on duty, was closing the cafeteria. Bay sat at a table away from other family members of patients as visiting hours were over. On the table in front of her, she had an open carton of milk next to her empty cup. It was a monday night and, this morning, she had drank from one of the bottles she had hid in her suit case. The effects of the potion were in full bloom. She could here conversations across the room with perfect clarity, the lights over head stung where they glinted off the table, and she was thrumming with energy.

It was one of the reasons Sarah gave her money to buy a milk. Sarah knew that Bay hated staying in one place for too long and had sent to the cafeteria in hopes of calming the child down. As much as Bay resented being so obvious in her ways, she was grateful for the privacy without really being alone. Her shared room was becoming cramped.

She hummed to herself, tapping her fingers to a made-up beat, when she had an idea. Bay had taken the cup more out of habit than need of use. it lay empty next to her near full carton of milk. She remembered the night both her and Peter had gone into the Vaults and how she had shaken the cabinets around her. That had only been on day two of her potion. Imagine what she could do merely hours later if she really tried.

Placing the milk and the glass two inches apart from each other, Bay focused all her energy into making the milk appear in the cup and empty out the carton. She imagined the inside of the paper cup. The air molecules replaced by the molecules of the different vitamins and proteins that constructed her drink. She imagined the weight of the carton to dissipate and become almost as light as the air to fill it. By the point her brain had begun to hurt, but she could almost  _feel_  the energy inside of her build up. Bay only wished it would burst sooner rather than later.

Bay fell out of her chair when a voice startled her. She hadn't realized she was sitting so close to the edge or that someone was behind her. From her spot on the floor, the girl noticed that the milk was running over the side. She jumped back to avoid more of it splashing her face. Large hands helped her to her feet. She barely had time to notice who it was before the blond was off to fetch some paper towels from the cash register, who, like many people in the room, had noticed the scene. Bay didn't pay them any heed. Her eyes were transfixed on the tipped over carton.

The paper cup still stood where she had placed it, but the milk, which weighed substantially more, had fallen. If she had bumped the table along her fall the cup would have tipped. The milk would have only jostled at best. Her grin easily beat the lights above.

"I did it," Bay whispered to herself. And she had. The milk hadn't moved into the cup, but it had  _moved_. The startle the blond had given her had been enough to trigger something within her. Her grin disappeared when she saw the same hands that had picked her up, begin to soak up the liquid with a plethora of paper towels.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He answered without looking at her, "Cleaning up the mess. Aren't you supposed to be the genius?"

Bay had nothing to say to that. She took some of the towels Jace had left aside and started wiping the table.

"Hey!" Jace yelled, once more startling her. Looking down she noticed that she had pushed some of the puddle onto his head. Allowing a snort, she placed an unused towel on to his head delicately. It soaked up the juice in patches.

"Sorry," she said after a pause.

He ruffled his hair with the brown paper. He stood, his job on the floor finished to the point where a janitor would later clean it during his shift. He collected collected the soaked rags into a ball and looked at them with disdain. "I think this would be the appropriate time to make that don't cry over spilled milk joke," He said, his gaze on her, "but you look ecstatic. Care to explain why?"

"No, I can't," Bay smirked.

Jace raised his eyebrow. He dropped the ball into both her hands, and said, "The garbage cans are over there." The blond left toward the coffee table, one of the few things that were kept running 24-7.

Bay disposed of the towels and empty carton, but not before making a face at the man's retreating back. She sat back down at the table, though there was nothing for her. Jace soon came back, setting his coffee on the table and pushing a cup of tea toward her.

"What's this?" she asked rather obviously.

"Tea. Doesn't everyone in England drink tea?"

"I wouldn't know. I've never been."

Jace looked perplexed, "I thought since Sarah was…"

"Sarah is not my mom." Bay said harsher than even she expected, "Why does no one believe that?"

He held up his hands in surrender, "There is no need to be testy. I was only going to say British."

Bay didn't say anything. She had already told him sorry earlier. There was no need for her to say it again. Jace sipped at his coffee, peering at her over the rim. She looked back at him, eyebrows raised. He wanted to say something, but was trying to build tension for his own enjoyment. The girl didn't like it and decided to ruin his fun.

"I don't like tea. It tastes like dirt."

"A common description made by tea haters," Jace answered without missing a beat.

She stared hard at him, "You can drink it if you want."

He made a face, similar to one she may have made at the first smell of the putrid drink had she not been trained to accept each gift with a smile. And she was a difficult learner.

Jace said, "I hate bergamot, and the only thing there was Earl Gray."

Bay debated on exposing the expensive shirt he felt guilty about buying, or changing the conversation entirely. She decided on the latter, eager to leave his company and go to bed as was the time. Her guardian probably wouldn't notice her absence, she thought envious, Sarah was talking to nameless scientists on her precious laptop.

"Why are you here? Don't you have a wife and baby to smother in love, or whatever."

"Well miss sunshine, I had thought that I may find your joy bringing presence refreshing and decided to join you. You'll be glad to know I haven't been disappointed."

" _What_?"

"Yes, what." Jace stare hardened. "My thoughts exactly when I hear about you from my brother. I want to know what he was doing here today."

It took her a moment to catch-up. Her lack of sleep shouldn't affect her with the potion fresh in her system. Unless it's not responding well with the Chemo, Bay thought before she could block it. It was a worrisome thought for another day. "He– Alec was tested to see if he's a match."

"A match for what?"

"Bone marrow," she said as if it were the most obvious thing to befall man. "I'm on the waiting list, but if I find a willing donor I can get the procedure."

He looked at her seriously, his hands braced on the table's edge, "Did he ask to get tested, or did you ask him?"

"He wanted to," the ebony-haired nephilim said truthfully. "I never asked him. It'll hurt his feelings if he isn't a match."

Jace nodded, unhurriedly. They met eyes, it was the first time they seemed to share a thought. "Alec cares a lot about you," he said.

"He's my friend."

"He's my friend, too."

Jace continued to sip at his drink, while she sat in silence. He wasn't pining for something this time when he looked at her, he just appeared tired, and a bit curious.

"You haven't mentioned my black eye," she remarked, noticing.

"Alec told me not to because you're mad at him."

Bay looked at the undrinkable tea. "He was being mean."

"He's taken enough of my…  _crap._  I doubt he was all that mean."

"He said my dad left me." Bay's head snapped up at the harsh sound of the blonde's laugh.

"Alec doesn't say things like that. Especially not to you. He would give anything for you to be his. He tells me about you constantly, but never to his husband. Why do you think that is?"

The girl, in too large a state of shock, remained silent.

Jace continued, "I think he feels guilty. Remember a few weeks ago when you said I had lost a niece, Sherlock? That was his daughter. You remind him of her, and it only makes it worse because you could easily be her. You're the right age, you even have the same name, for God's sake. Also you're keep looking more and more like Magnus. I don't think Alec has realized that yet. He may be a lot of things, but observant he is not."

He paused, smiling pleasantly, but not at her– At the person behind her.

Sarah put a hand on her shoulder, and said, her voice matching his smile teeth for teeth, "I hope she wasn't much trouble."

"None at all. She was a perfect, little angel."

What she said to Bay was mostly drowned out by the pounding in her ears. It was time for her to go to bed. As she stood she mumbled a goodnight and followed obediently behind Sarah. Maybe sleep would be welcomed for once.


	18. Chapter 18

   Magnus laid on the couch, his hand resting over his swollen stomach, and his mind wandering to far off places. Chairman Meow nudged the hand that had fallen to the floor, unabashedly. Watching the ball of fur licked between his fingers and under his rings, his wedding ring included, Magnus sighed.

   "Am I boring you lying here?"

   As a response, Meow climbed onto his chest, purring contently once stretched.

   Magnus ran his finger through the soft fur. "Are you hungry, Chairman? Has Alec fed you yet?"

   "Yes, Alec has," answered the shadowhunter, standing above. His hair was damp from the shower Magnus thought he was still taking. How long had past since he laid down on the couch? Alec leaned over the back of the black, cube-like couch, and delivered a kiss. "My dad just finished his shower. We should be leaving soon. Are you okay to go?"

   The warlock rolled his eyes dramatically. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, much to the dislike of the cat. "I'm fine. I could run a marathon if I wanted. Possibly even fly a jet."

   Alec tried to look annoyed, but only succeeded in smiling fondly. "No need to run or fly. It's only a ten minute walk."

   Magnus groaned, "Shouldn't we take a cab? We are bringing lunch."

   "Yes, but nothing that couldn't fit in a few bags. Now, get up and get dressed," Alec said, nudging the other off the sofa. After a moment Magnus pushed himself up, and made for his bedroom. Upon entering his shared closet, he went to work on his outfit. He decided on jeans and a long sleeved vest, the color a close comparison to his husband's eyes. Alec, Robert, who was staying with them when not visiting his grandson; and he were eating lunch with his brother and sister in-law. He didn't need to be dressed to the nines. The last thing he wanted was any form of baby fluids staining his good cashmere.

   He left the closet to sit on the bed. He slipped his socks with more effort than the previous time. He glanced down at his boots with a sigh. They had buckles on them, and would require more leaning, and strength than the socks ever did. Would anyone notice if he wore moccasins, Magnus thought lying back onto the bed. Shoes, under normal circumstances, he would never wear out of the house.

   He placed his hand back on the swell under his vest– under his jacket it wouldn't be noticeable– and murmured to it, "You're causing me trouble already, little one."

   Although his voice was light, Magnus doubted it hid his nervousness. He was a month along and he was showing. He knew he didn't have Alec's muscled abs, which allowed him to not show until six months, but he didn't think it was good to be this round at one month. he had an appointment with Catarina, which was why he had to tell the nephilim this afternoon. There wasn't any way Alec would miss the first screening.

   He left the room, moccasins on his feet, and walked to the bathroom, where, hopefully, Robert had finished his shower. Passing through the living room, he paused. From his view he watched Alec's back hunch into itself. He was on the phone, speaking quietly to whoever was on the other end. He knew something was bothering Alec by the tension he held in-between his shoulder blades. He hung up with an agreement. Magnus noticed that he ran his fingers through his hair, something he had been doing more than usual lately.

   "Everything alright?" he asked.

   Alec jumped a little. The shadowhunter hadn't known he was standing there. Turning his body toward Magnus, his hands slipping from his hair, he opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when Robert walked into the room.

   "I have everything made, but I can't find any ceramic bowls to carry the burgers."

   The younger nephilim stood. "I'll show you were they are," he said to his dad. To Magnus he teased, "You don't have much time to doll yourself up. I'd hurry if I were you."

   Magnus raised his eyebrows scandalized. He swatted at Alec playfully. "You want to die young, don't you?"

   Alec grinned back at him, but after a moment his face lost it's energy. He left after his father into the kitchen, leaving Magnus alone. The warlock sauntered off. He didn't have much time to 'doll himself up' until both punctual shadowhunters would begin to complain that they were going to be late.

o.O.o

   _What's wrong with you?_ the text read.

   Alec was sitting at the table with Jace and Clary, little Max asleep by her seat, his dad and Magnus. He looked at his phone where it was hidden under the table. The message was from Jace, who, when Alec tried to get his attention, was paying more attention to what Robert and Clary were discussing than was natural for him.

   He answered, phone hidden in his lap, _My bone marrow didn't match with Bay's. Sarah called me an hour ago._

   Alec bit into his burger. He didn't bother to look away from his potato salad. Jace would text him if it suited him, but not until then.

   After a minute his phone beeped again. _Have you told Magnus that?_

_No not yet. I didn't get the chance. Why?_

_Because he's staring at you._

  Alec looked up, his eyes catching the golden, green eyes of his husband's immediately. Jace was correct when he said Magnus was staring. His eyes bore into Alec, all-knowing and suspicious. They sat across from each other, at the end of the table. Magnus cut the cord of tension between them, paying attention to his meal and deliberately not Alec. He was mad at him, that much was evident. 

   After lunch Alec sat on the living room floor near where Clary's art supplies were kept, and Jace's hands weren't allowed. Maxwell was cradled in his arms, giggling when Alec made a teddy bear kiss his face. Jace had asked permission from both Isabelle and he to name his child after the once youngest Lightwood if Maxwell turned out to be a boy. Since neither his sister or he were going to be having children anytime soon, or at least it looked like that, there was a second Maxwell Gabriel Lightwood.

   He looked like Jace, but with Clary's red hair, though he only had copper fuzz spotting his head. Alec brought the bear close to the baby's face, but instead of the teddy he delivered an open-mouth kiss and blew. His nephew looked scandalized. Alec laughed at his wide-eyed expression. They continued to match grins while they played. Clary entered the room from the kitchen where the adults were still conversing. Alec wondered when he began to recognized himself as an adult when most of his life he had been a child. Not unlike the little one in his arms.

   Clary sat on the sofa facing him, and said, "you're very good with him."

   He shrugged as if to say I guess so, or no big deal. Alec pointed out Maxwell's nose, who then reached for his uncle's nose. 

   The red-head cleared her throat, attracting his attention. "You were kind of my role model."  He looked up at her odd confession. Her cheeks were flushed yet she continued, "I figured if you could take all the shit thrown your way than I didn't have much to complain about."

   Alec stared at her. It wasn't often they had admitted things to each other, and he wasn't quiet sure how to respond. "I complained a lot, actually," he decided to say. "I think sometimes I really annoyed Magnus. At least you expected everything. Every little change was a surprise to me."

   "I just wanted to say that, is all."

   "Thank-you. You did a good job." He gestured to Maxwell.

   Clary smiled.

   Magnus walked in, a smirk on his face as he knelt down by Alec. He picked up the baby, and rocked him slightly.

   "I don't think you particularly liked babies," said Clary.

   He made a face. "Oh, I don't. Terrible little beasts, but I guess I have to make an exception for my nephew." Magnus handed her back her son, and helped Alec stand. "It's about time we go."

   "Should I get my dad?" Alec asked.

   "No, he's watching Max while I nap." The red-head explained seriously. "You are not taking him away from me."

   With that said, and after customary farewells, both men left the house hand in hand.

o.O.o

   "Do you know what time it is?" Magnus asked once they were down the road a ways.

   After checking his watch, Alec answered, "a couple minutes after two."

   He felt Alec's hand tighten ever so slightly in his own hand. The nephilim had something he wanted to say. Magnus nudged him on with a delicate wipe of his thumb across a scar.

   "We've already discussed it before," Alec said.

   "Yes we have," he agreed.

   "We haven't acted on it, though."

   Magnus didn't answer, but gestured for him to go on.

   "It kind of feels like cheating. I'm not quite sure if it is or not."

   "If we were to show up at our flat with a baby and Bay was there as if she had never left, would that feel like cheating to you?"

   Ever the realist, Alec said, "Even if Bay did show up, we couldn't obtain a baby between now and the flat."

   "Well it's not exactly that hard."

   "What do you mean?"

   "Have you noticed yet that this isn't the way home?"

   Alec stopped them both, looking around. "Why are we going this way?"

   "Can't you tell where we're headed?" Magnus hummed. If he sounded jealous, even to his own ears, Alec didn't notice. 

    "Beth Israel. Is something wrong?"

   The look on the nephilim's face was one of pure worry that Magnus almost felt bad. This wasn't how he wanted to tell him, especially with how stressed he had been acting lately. "I guess this is going to have to be how I break the news."

   Alec pulled him closer, his hand on the warlock's waist, their shoes almost touching. "Stop beating around the bush," he ordered.

   Not a second after Alec finished, Magnus said, "I'm pregnant."

   Unlike his husband, Alec took longer to speak and his words were less eloquently put. "How did this happen– I mean I know how that works– Wait, no actually, I don't know how this happened."

   Alec looked frantic. Magnus' only consolation was that he was equal parts worried, as well. "We had discussed that if an opportunity arose to acquire a child that we would take it. One did arise so I took it. I had every detail set, while you were away in Idris, except for the most important."

   A look of realization passed over the shadowhunter's face. "We were trying for a baby. You never told me. Why didn't you tell me? And don't say you're telling me now."

   "I didn't know if my body would take that kind of pressure," Magnus slipped Alec's hand over his hardened abdomen, "but it seems to be taking very well."

   The nephilim moved his hand over the swell, his other still in his husband's hand. "I can't see a bump, but I can feel it. You would only be a month, right?"

   "That's why I set up an appointment earlier than I wanted."

   "Is that why you're telling me now?" he asked, hurt evident in his blue eyes.

   Magnus cupped Alec's cheek, tenderly. He answered truthfully, "I wanted to tell you earlier, but yes, you needed to know before my first appointment. I want you to be there."

   "Of course I'll be there. Why wouldn't I?"

   "Because you don't look happy."

   Alec opened his mouth as if to retort, but shut it slowly. He let go of Magnus, ashamed. "You don't think I'm happy?"

   The taller of the two didn't answer, his urge to grab the other man surpassed any other thought.

   "I am. Magnus, I'm ecstatic!" The shadowhunter grinned, but didn't move his arms from his side. "I'm shocked and confused, but– you're not joking? We're having a baby?"

   He risked a smile. "We are. Any time you want to come back here and show me how ecstatic you are, would be a good one."

   Alec didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed the other man's face between his hands and kissed him soundly.

o.O.o 

   Magnus reached for Alec's hand as Catarina squeezed blue gel onto his stomach. Alec smiled down at him, similar memories of the feeling making themselves present in his facial expression. Magnus took it all in stride, too anxious in what would show on the sonogram.

   Catarina reacted to Magnus' news as she did with many situations, with barely hidden distain. She had taken on his case with the same precautions she had with Alec. She informed the couple that they shouldn't expect same results as the previous case. So, they were going to take everything step by step, as if it were new to them.

   The witch ran the probe over his stomach, and both men watched as the screen began to form gray shapes.

   "From these two masses," she tapped the screen with her finger nail, "and the development, I think it's safe to say you're three months along with twins."

  "No, he can't he farther along than a month," Alec said more for something to say than actual disbelief. He looked down at Magnus, "right?"

   The warlock nodded encouragingly. "He's correct, but more importantly, did you say twins?"

   Beside him, Alec stiffened. He had yet to fully concept Catarina's second news. "you can tell that this early?"

   "As I've said the development is at least three months," she responded. "It's not uncommon to be off the date a few weeks, but you can see the outline of their heads. You wouldn't be able to a month in."

   Magnus recovered shortly. "There are many species that end pregnancy earlier than the common nine months. Do you think that could be the case?"

   "That's a possibility. I want to monitor you more than I had with Alec years ago."

   As both warlock's went into detail about future planning, Alec stood silent by his husband's side. He wondered what shock felt like. He had seen many people go through the odd state, but he never experienced it himself. He thought that he'd seen enough in his life to avoid shock, but that wasn't becoming the case. He was jolted back to reality when Magnus tugged his hand. So, not shock than.

   "You look like you're going to pass out."

   "I think I might."

   Magnus and Catarina shared a look. Magnus sat up properly, and swung his legs so that they encircled Alec. The shadowhunter hadn't noticed that the elder man was clean and was wearing his shirt. 

   Hands on the shadowhunters hips, Magnus murmured, "you're overwhelmed." Alec made to protest, but was silenced. "I understand. I was in your shoes once, remember? You have plenty of time to take everything in."

   He nodded, unable to put into words what he was thinking. Magnus' hands were as comforting as his words.

   "Why don't you get some coffee, and tell me how it tastes."

   "Why?"

   "Because you look like you need air, and I haven't had coffee in a _long time_."

   Hurt, Alec opened his mouth to ask why he couldn't just stay here when he caught sight of a wall clock. He cursed internally, and, at the expression of Magnus' face, also physically. He was supposed to meet Bay five minutes ago. By the time he would get there he would likely be ten minutes late. He didn't know if she had the patience to wait that long. 

   Kissing Magnus good-bye, he absentmindedly agreed to leave and asked the tall man to meet him at the park here. Alec knew Magnus would know where to rendezvous after he was done talking with Catarina. This may be his last chance to hang with the little girl. She was returning to Alicante later in the evening. Sarah and she weren't going to return until Bay needed a change in chemo. He didn't know how long that would be.

   Minutes later, he crossed the large area of grass and looked around. Bay wasn't at there usual bench or climbing on the slides. He almost gave up hope that she hadn't left when he saw a head of dark hair peak out between the exit doors. Alec smiled gently and held up his hand in a wave, gesturing her to him.

o.O.o

   Bay toed the green, metal door for what felt like the hundredth time. The last time she peaked out the door Alec hadn't been there, and she wasn't one to arrive first. The girl tugged her braid so hard that the elastic came off into her hand. In a slight panic she wrapped it back on as properly as she could. She kicked the door once more.

   The last few days had been horrible. It had been a collection of hours repeating the same emotions as when she had first heard of her dad and when she was diagnosed with the same cancer that was making her feel tired and sore and _miserable._ She kept repeating words Alec said to her, encouraging her to study what she liked and lesser liked memories of him scolding her after the fight.

  More importantly she would hear Jace's observations, _He tells me about you constantly, but never to his husband,_ and _Remember a few weeks ago when you said I had lost a niece, Sherlock? That was his daughter. You remind him of her, and it only makes it worse because you could easily be her. You're the right age, you even have the same name, for God's sake. Also you keep looking more and more like Magnus. I don't think Alec has realized that yet._

   The only reason she was sleeping through the night was because the medication she took practically dictated it. Otherwise, she would have spent every waking moment berating herself for not knowing certain significant facts. Why didn't she know Alec was married to a man called Magnus– the same as her father's name. It never occurred to her that Alec could easily stand for Alexander. With those two facts alone, one could assume the best. Possibly the worst.

   Bay peaked out the door once more. Alec was here, and scanning the grounds. He was looking for her. Soon enough he spotted her and waved. She slipped through the door.

   The girl forced herself to smile as she walked. If she could just––

   "You look like you're in pain," Alec asked seriously. "Do you feel okay?"

   "I'm fine." Bay pushed away his hand, which had reached for her forehead. Likely to feel her temperature.

   "I guess I'm not forgiven," he said, confusing her.

   It took her a moment to realize he meant their argument after the fight. "I forgave you later that day."

   "Thank-you for telling me so soon," he deadpanned.

   Bay tugged on the shadowhunter's leather jacket. She pulled him to their bench. When Alec sat she crawled onto his lap and attempted to hide herself behind his jacket. 

   "Hiding from anyone in particular?" he inquired, snaking his arms around her for support.

   "Two sarcastic comments in a row," she mumbled. "I had to spend time with your brother. I don't want to do it all over again."

   "When did you talk to Jace?"

   "Later that one day. He made me forgive you."

   "What did he say?"

   _He said I looked your husband,_ she wanted to say. _He told me I have the same name as your missing child. Did you give me my anklet? Did you name me?_ Instead she said, "That you didn't mean what you said. And that I must have been mean to you for you to be mean to me."

   "I wasn't trying to be mean, but what you did wasn't good."

   "Shadowhunters fight all the time. I learn new methods of fighting in school, and at home I eat what will make me grow stronger so I can take down demons of any size."

   "Yes, but all of that is for when you're older and not with kids your age. Especially mundanes."

   Bay grumbled, but didn't say anything.

   "Do you remember your parents?"

   Bay stiffened. "No," she answered flatly, "Sarah has been there since day one."

   "Have you ever asked about them?"

   Her hand tightened on his ribcage. She admitted to herself, "I stopped looking."

   Bay pushed herself off his lap and stood up. "Can we run around?" she pleaded frantically.

   Alec got to his feet in front of her. "It's okay," he murmured, his body language comforting, "calm down, Bay. There's no need to cry."

   "Am I crying?"

   "No, but you look like you're going to."

   He was right. Bay could feel the sting behind her eyes. The girl could see the thread pattern of Alec's shirt better than when she was leaning against it. She closed her eyes tightly, and lifted her arms, praying that he would understand and lift her. Alec lifted Bay, rubbing her back when she was finished wrapping herself around him.

   His smell was comforting, and she was so tired. The young nephilim found herself talking without any thought as to what. "I don't want to go home, but I don't like it here– except you of course. I love you, Alec. You're my best friend."

   "I love you too, Bay." At this point, the shadowhunter bunched her slightly and moved his feet so he was creating a round pattern. Almost like a dance, lulling her to sleep. A shadow crept over her, darker than the overcast of the sky. Her head down, she opened her eyes raggedly. The shadow, she noticed, wore funny looking pants. She lifted her eyes over the rest of his peculiar appearance. When they met gazes, Bay screamed.

   The girl scrambled back, pushing against Alec's chest. She would have fallen backwards, out of his arms, had Alec not been trained to handle _pithius_ demons–– creatures known for their lithe, slippery bodies. He turned around toward the man, and Bay clung to Alec's body, trying to further herself from the company.

   Into his shoulder, Bay cried, "Alec– Alec, his _eyes_! He has my eyes. Get him away from me, Alec, _please_!"

   His hand was shaky when he placed it on her head. The elder shadowhunter was panicking. "I can't understand you, Bay." For the second time that day he said, "C _alm down_."

   She shook her head in his shoulder. Her eyes shut tight against the light, and in the design of fear.

   The man behind her spoke to Alec, saying, "I've scared her."

   Alec, an optimistic, denied, "No. Why would you scare her?"

   She couldn't see, but feel the silent conversation both adults were having behind her.

   After a struggle Alec had her standing, his arms on her shoulders. "Bay, look at me."

   The girl shook her head emphatically. She couldn't, her emotions were worse than ever before. Even with the sun behind gray clouds, she would be blinded until her eyes adjusted. A painful process rarely practiced by her tutors as a punishment. The other nephilim didn't know this.

   " _Now_ , Bay."

   Slowly she placed one hand over her eyes like a ball cap. It shaded and therefor lightened the willpower it took to open them. She was still shaking when her watery gaze met Alec's. From where he stood he wouldn't be able to notice the change in her appearance.

   "The man behind you is very special to me. His name is Magnus, and I want you to turn around and say hello."

   Bay whispered, "I can't."

   "Why not?" His voice was becoming more clipped as he went on. Alec was irritated with her– that much was evident.

   "He has my eyes."

   Alec was silent, but she felt a third hand trail along her upper back. Magnus walked in front of her, beside his husband, and knelt so they were face to face. They looked alike, Bay noticed, searching his face. He had black straight hair like her own, similar eye shape, and nose. She wondered where he came from, what nationality they shared. He was a demon–– Alec a shadowhunter, part angel. They made her, an anomaly who shouldn't–– couldn't–– be here amongst life, standing next to them.

   Alec had let go of her shoulders by the time the warlock joined him. Magnus' hand was on her arm. Bay didn't stiffen, but when he went to touch her face she raised her chin and set her shoulders back. He got the message that she didn't appreciate his touch.

   "Alec," Bay whimpered, holding her free hand out to him. She didn't stop watching the hurt expression on Magnus' face. The tears caught in her eyes clouded him in a oily mixture of tan and gold.

   "You're the little girl Alec visits," Magnus said to her. "He hasn't told me your name."

   "Bay."

   "Who named you that?"

   "No one," she felt compelled to say, though defensively. "My anklet has my name." Everything around her was murky, like opening your eyes in the ocean, but she refused to blink. If she blinked fat tears would fall. More would undoubtedly follow.

   "May I see your anklet," he continued relentlessly.

   Bay shuffled back a half step, subconsciously she blinked. Her hand dropped to her side as new tears began to form. She was scared, but that didn't excuse crying. Nephilim weren't supposed to cry, especially when frightened. Had there been real demons in front of her instead of two adults she would be dead. Alec must be disappointed in her.

   "It's mine," she said as if that was answer enough.

   "I'm well aware of that. I gave it to you."

   She looked between them both before asking, "You did?"

   "I think I may have." Magnus reached for her face again. This time she let him. He wiped away a tear, cupping her face. "You're so beautiful. I can see why Alec plays with you." He paused to take a breath. "Do you know what's happening, Bay? Do you why my eyes are like yours?"

   Alec dropped to his knees, pulling Bay on his lap. She held his arms around her waist. "You're Magnus Bane. The paper said you were my father. You're a warlock, and that's why I'm cursed like this."

   The last was said so quietly she was sure some words only appeared as air. Alec bent his head down, and kissed the side of her face. Bay felt a drop of water hit her shoulder. Alec was crying, too. She turned into his chest. He was whispering apologies to her. How he should have known sooner, or about the years he'd missed. Magnus rubbed the girl's back, attempting to steady her erratic breaths. She only continued to cry into the other shadowhunter's jacket.

   After what could have been hours, Sarah spoke above them, "I see you've figured it out."

   Bay crawled off Alec's lap, and hugged her around the hips. She knew not to ask to be carried. Sarah didn't coddle her like that.

   Magnus stood. Now the she had gotten used to the light, Bay could see how tall the warlock was. He was taller than Alec, and towered over Sarah. "And you are…?" he trailed off.

   "Sarah Miller," she answered, sticking her hand out between them. "I'm Bay's legal guardian."

   Standing, Alec said, "She's raised Bay since day one." He wrapped an arm around Magnus' waist.

   Magnus didn't take her hand. He hissed, "What part did you play in the kidnapping of my daughter."

   Sarah raised her chin, not dissimilar to Bay's same warning. "The person you have to blame for her kidnapping died years ago in battle. The part I _played_ was to raise her."

   "Who? Who took her?"

   "I believe his name was Kadir. He had an American accent. I didn't know him personally."

   Alec said, "My mom and he were friends. She didn't have anything to do with this. She wouldn't stoop that low."

   Sarah rubbed her hand over Bay's head. Bay held her face in her side. As much as she didn't want to leave Alec, she wanted to be anywhere else. The girl was uncomfortable with the argument currently being held above her.

   "I think it would be best if we stopped the blame game for a moment, and paid attention to more important details," her guardian suggested. "I would ask you to come inside and talk, but this is her last chemo treatment before we're supposed to go back home."

   "Bay isn't leaving without me," Alec spoke up, surprising Bay slightly.

   "I don't like the idea of her leaving anywhere," Magnus added.

   "I understand that, but I think it would be a wise decision if Bay and I went through her treatment, and I call you later. It will give people time to calm down so we can talk more efficiently."

   Bay knew that the warlock would protest. Before more than a few words were out of his mouth, she interrupted, "Can we do that, please. I'm really tired, and want to go inside." Luckily enough neither man protested. Bay let go of Sarah and hugged Alec. She asked hopefully, "Will I get to see you later?"

   He tugged on her braid, an action that was becoming comforting. "Of course, but only if you don't cause any trouble."

   "No promises." She spared a glance at Magnus when she returned to Sarah, but didn't say anything to him. She didn't trust him yet. She felt small around him, and she didn't like that. Sarah took her hand and lead her inside. Bay waved before the door shut behind her.

o.O.o

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN– So, the big reveal chapter (insert scenes of head banging, flailing and those emotional moments I laid face down in my bed during this writing process). There is still a few more chapters. It's not just denouement, there are some important things yet to happen.
> 
> You have to tell me what you think. I had to stop second guessing myself. I didn't want a big bang of a reunion, I was trying to go for subtle emotions. No clue if I got that… but yeah.
> 
> Your ever faithful writer,
> 
> Victoria


	19. Chapter 19

   Alec crossed his legs under himself, and leaned his head against the back of the couch. He watched his husband pace across the wooden floor. His steps were as heavy as they were long. Sparks of blue licked his fingers, and danced into the air when his hands shook. With the man's age came a tendency for apathy, but when there was an event that entailed emotion his body reacted like a light bulb that hadn't been lit in years, flickering in the dark until it found it's base. His muscled tensed and relaxed with every word or litany.

   Eventually his words became coherent, and Alec could understand, "This doesn't… _this doesn't feel real_."

   The nephilim didn't respond. He knew anything he said would be forgotten just as it was spoken.

   "It feels as though Bay wasn't here and then she was. Almost like she's simply been given to us."

   "She hasn't," Alec dared to say. "I still have to fight for her."

   Magnus turned to him then. "What do you mean?" he asked.

   His head remained lulled to the side, his eyes sad. "I'm going to have to follow Bay. As much as I hate to say it, Sarah has custody over her. Bay belongs to her, not to us. At least until I work for her to be ours."

   "But she is ours! We made her. We never gave her away." As he said this, Magnus walked to him. He placed both hands on the back of the couch, and leaned over. "I remember a time when I could have killed Sarah in broad daylight, and taken Bay home with me because she's blood. No one would have questioned it and if they had it was easier to pay off the police than it was the villagers."

   "I'm sorry, when and where was this?" he asked, mildly horrified. Magnus pushed himself away from the couch and resumed pacing. Alec turned so his chest was leaning against the back. He crossed his arms and laid down his chin.

   "You're going back to Alicante," Magnus stated after some time. "Do you have a plan of action yet, or is that how far you've gotten?"

   "I know how I'm getting in, and who I need to speak to. Sarah will probably help with a lot of things."

   "You trust Sarah?" Magnus asked, turning to Alec. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he had stopped pacing.

   Alec nodded, "she's done an amazing job with Bay considering the circumstances." At Magnus' odd look he explained solemnly, "Bay isn't exactly… she doesn't think like a normal seven year old. What she can grasp is much more than she should be able to. The way she reacts to things aren't… _age appropriate_."

   The warlock looked concerned. He joined Alec on the couch. They arranged themselves so that Magnus' legs were sprawled over Alec's lap, and his arms were wrapped around Alec's torso. "I know something you forgot to tell me," he teased.

   "… What's that?" Alec questioned.

   With a smile on his face, Magnus answered, "You forgot to tell me how gorgeous our daughter was."

   He returned the expression, "We never seem to do things in halves." Alec rubbed Magnus' waist. His eyes soon became distant and regretful. "How did I miss it? I've been staring at my daughter's face for weeks, but I couldn't tell. What kind of dad looks into their kid's eyes and can't recognize them? You recognized her instantly."

   "That's only because we share the same mark," Magnus tried to sooth.

   "What are you talking about? Bay has blue eyes, I know that much."

   "When I looked at her eyes they were just like mine. Didn't you hear her say, 'He has my eyes'?"

   "I couldn't understand what she was saying." Alec's phone beeped. Before he could stick his hand in his pocket, Magnus had it open in his palm. 

   "Your dad is wondering when we're going to pick him up," He said, disappointment evident in his voice.  His eyes lit up when he said, "You have a missed message from no other than our daughter's guardian who says, Bay collapsed after her chemo dosage. Doctor's think it is only stress and that she will wake in a few hours."

   They shared a look briefly before they rushed to the door, grabbing their coats and slipping on shoes. Once outside Magnus replied with Alec's phone, _We're taking a cab. We'll be there in not ten minutes._

   Her response was almost immediate. _She's in her room. I assume this is Alec's husband._

   Magnus was suspicious about how she knew that, but sat himself into the cab.

   Next to him Alec asked, "Have you answered Jace's text?"

   "No," he replied. "I figure we could when we're at the hospital." Magnus wrote, _How could you tell?_

   _You don't text like Alec. Who else would have his phone?_

  They arrived at Beth Israel shortly, and Alec lead Magnus though hallways that were unfamiliar to him. They stopped briefly to sign themselves in– Alec was on Bay's approved list of visitors– before he pulled the door open to Bay's room, holding it open for his husband. Sarah sat by the sleeping girl's bed. She was reading aloud from a book.

_One day in the middle of winter, when the snowflakes fell from the sky like feathers, a queen sat at a window netting. Her netting-needle was of black ebony..._

   Sarah continued to read until both men were nearly keening for news. She shut her book, and crossed her arms atop it. "She hasn't woken, but I don't blame her. Bay needs quite a few hours to catch-up. The poor dear's been cabbaged all week."

   "What's been on her mind?" Alec asked taking a seat on the only couch. Magnus realized that Alec was already familiar with both Bay and Sarah. The blue-eyed man he knew wouldn't take a seat and contribute actively in a conversation without a sense of familiarity already established. He'd seen them often in the past weeks, and had grown a relationship with them that Magnus didn't have. 

   Magnus joined him on the couch.

   "Your parabatai told her some things that connected the dots she couldn't see."

   "What did Jace really tell her?" Alec inquired. "Bay looked like she was hiding something when I asked her."

   Sarah petted the girl's hand. "I overheard him talking about her relationship with you and her resemblance with Magnus."

   "How long have you known?" Magnus asked. His arms were crossed over his chest, but his body language was forced calm. He was angry, as would be expected, but years of self discipline taught him that snapping at people rarely got him what he wanted. 

   Beside him, Alec placed his hand on the warlock's knee. If it was for warning or for comfort or both, Magnus didn't know.

   "I had my suspicions in Alicante, but after seeing you with her in New York it was hard not to believe it. The lab results concerning your marrow only confirmed it. Again, I'm sorry, Alec."

   He shrugged, "You shouldn't be sorry. It was at least a chance."

   "I assume you would have told Alec eventually," Magnus said. "You do have DNA evidence of their relation."

   Sarah played with the cover of her book. "I wouldn't have kept them apart. Even after we returned home I would have thought of ways to get them together."

   "Without telling either one of us that the girl we've been wondering whether or not was dead or alive is right there," he snapped, pointing a finger to where Bay was sleeping.

   The woman's eyes darkened, so the light brown of her irises were the color of decaying wood. Sarah seemed then to posses a fierceness more vicious than the shadowhunters he had seen in battle. Magnus discovered in that moment behind Sarah's nonchalance hid from others the fact that she was still a mother bear. 

   "This _girl_ of yours," Sarah spat, "has been in a manic depressive state since she learned that you two existed. Her current life has been a downward spiral. I can't tell you if the chemo or the cancer is going to kill her first, but I can tell you she isn't getting better. She won't if she keeps acting like she is. I honestly can't think of a worse time than now for you both to show up in her life."

   Sarah rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes. Standing abruptly, the woman dropped the book on the side table next to the bed and walked to the door. As she opened the door she told them, "I'll be back before Bay wakes. I have things I need to sort."

   The door shut behind Sarah with the jingle of the blinds and the click of the lock, and the air felt dead inside the room, which was only kept alive by the breath of the couple and the monitor marking the sleeping child's heart beat.

o.O.o

   Magnus let his head drop on top of the couch. It had been hours since Sarah had walked out, and the monotonous sounds of the room were beginning to irritate him.

   Each time the door had opened both Alec and he had turned their attention to not their daughter's guardian, but a nurse, making her rounds every so often. Neither knew what to say when Sarah would come back. 

   To mind the time, he replied to Jace, and Magnus sent his house key to the blond.

   Jace's response arrived in the minimum amount of time it would have taken to write the message and send it. _First, you need to stop using my brother's phone. Second, why does Robert have to walk himself home? Where are you two?_

   _The answer to those questions will have to be answered another time. Thank-you for calling._

   After another text, one he had to delete to protect his husband's baby blues, he dropped the phone onto the rightful owner's lap. Alec didn't stir from his position. He was leaning against Magnus' frame, eyes closed and breath even, but he wasn't asleep. Without looking at a clock he knew that it was well past dinner time. 

   Alec smiled against his arm when Magnus' stomach growled rather obviously. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

   "I could wait," Magnus said, but a moment later his stomach repeated the action. He could feel the pain of hunger more acutely now.

   "Yes, but can _they_?"

   It took Magnus a moment to comprehend what his husband had said to him. When he did, it came with the discovery of why Alec was smiling as bright as he was. After what could be considered little better than a falling out with the key holder of Bay's freedom, Alec was still what he had answered Magnus earlier that day– ecstatic. He wasn't thinking about the now as much as he was the future. He had the hope for regaining a child and the promise of two more. Alec could probably see family get togethers with his brother's and sister's families, and it made him happy.

   Magnus could only play along. He needed to keep Alec's smile going for it was the only thing keeping him sane. "Well since _you're so_ hungry I guess I could spare the time finding you something to eat," he joked, picking at his nails though there were no imperfections.

   Alec nipped him lightly on the shoulder before standing. He held both hands out for Magnus to take. When the other man did, Alec suggested, "I think the cafeteria is closed, but the vending machines have bagels and fruit."

   "Do you think one of us should stay with Bay?"

   Alec considered this for a moment before answering in the negative. "Sarah isn't here yet so I doubt Bay will wake up. She did say she would be back before Bay then."

   Magnus agreed and opened the door for Alec, following behind when he passed through.

o.O.o

   After dinner, when Magnus was throwing away their trash, Alec opened his phone and checked his messages. He knew that his spouse had been using it, but didn't ask what for or with whom he was talking. It wouldn't be the first time Magnus had taken Alec's phone when his had been in his pocket, perfectly usable. The shadowhunter wasn't surprised to see the conversation between Jace and Magnus. The warlock and he would have to tell family sooner then later. It wasn't fair the keep his family in the dark, Alec knew, but they needed more than an afternoon to come to terms with everything.

   Magnus sat down in his seat across from the nephilim. He noticed the phone in Alec's hand and asked, "Do you have any ideas on how to break the news?"

   Alec ran his fingers through his hair. He needed a brush. "Well, If it was only about the twins then I would say over dinner, but with Bay added to the mix I have no clue." 

   "She shouldn't be there when we tell them. I think people will need a chance to take everything in."

   "You mean like we need?"

   Magnus took Alec's hands in his own then. He squeezed tightly and relished, only for a moment, when Alec returned the gesture. "I'm not sorry," he said.

   "I know."

   "I don't want them together," he continued. "I want her to move back in with us."

   "I know."

   "I have a feeling this is going to be a long few days."

   Alec brought the others knuckles to his lips. He knew Magnus was stressed, he could feel it in the way the warlock tensed his fingers. Magnus was trying to hold himself together so his magic wouldn't become unpredictable and possibly hurt Alec. After a minute, he asked softly, "Do you want to go back?"

   Magnus reluctantly pulled his hands back and stood, stretching his back. "I guess," he said.

   Alec grabbed Magnus' hand in the hallway on the walk back to Bay's room. When they were only yards away a nurse pushed past them and beat them to their destination. Without sharing a glance the couple hurried after, arriving just before the door closed.

   Alec couldn't see his daughter immediately, and he found himself holding his breath. Sarah and the nurse were standing in-between him and Bay. He may not have been able to see her but he could hear her, and it became obvious what the nurse had been carrying when she sped in. A bowl.

   When Bay was finished, the nurse pushed past them, as they had yet to leave the door, without a glance. The view to Bay was open, and Alec saw her curled into Sarah's chest. Bay was crying, her eyes shut tight, and she whimpered in-between breaths

Behind him, Magnus cleared his throat, attracting Sarah's attention. The girl didn't move. Alec briefly wondered if she had fallen back asleep.

   "She only woke up five minutes ago," Sarah whispered. She scooted off the bed, where she had sat cross-legged, and stood. Bay's arms clung around her neck and Bay's legs wrapped around her waist. "Alec," the woman implored, "would you help Bay brush her teeth?"

   The nephilim in question nodded, and, when offered, transferred the girl into his arms and around his waist. Bay laid her head on his should, exhausted. Her breath was losing it's raggedness as she slowly started to drift out of consciousness.

   "Oh no you don't," Alec told her with forced cheeriness. They were in the small, in-suite bathroom now. "You can't fall asleep yet. I don't know which toothbrush is yours."

   Bay groaned, "pink."

   Alec grabbed her toothbrush and tooth paste out of the medicine cabinet with one hand. He almost dropped them when he noticed how many pill bottles were standing on the shelves, all with Bay's name prescribed on the side. He closed the medicine cabinet.

   "Can you stand or do you want to sit?"

   "I can stand," she said, but made no indication that she was going to move. Alec lowered her slowly. When he was sure she was able to hold herself up, Alec put the toothpaste on her toothbrush, and ran it under the faucet. He gave Bay her tool and petted her hair as she brushed her teeth. After spitting, she rinsed off her tooth brush with a clear lack of energy, and dropped it into the sink. Bay turned back around, and, as per request, Alec lifted her back up.

   Alec didn't put the toothbrush back in it's rightful place. He was more interested in her presence. Alec rubbed her back gently, and smiled at the way her bones and muscles moved under his hand as she breathed. Bay smelled like fruit shampoo and laundry detergent. He could't believe how tangible she felt. How it felt as though he was holding his baby for the first time all over again, rocking her gently. 

   "I love you, Bay," Alec whispered.

   "I love you, too, Daddy."

   Alec paused. His breath became ragged as the child's breath evened.

   He needed to put her to bed, Alec decided. It was clear to anyone Bay was exhausted, and Alec wasn't going to last much longer with her in his arms. When he left the bathroom, the hospital room was empty of either Magnus or Sarah. Alec was appreciative of this. He wanted to spend time with his daughter without the distraction of the other two adults arguing over everyone's heads.

   Carefully and gently, Alec laid her down on the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. Bay turned toward him.

   "My stomach hurts," she told him.

   "Should I get the nurse?" Alec asked. He didn't yet know what the procedure for this was, really.

   Bay shook her head. "I don't want that. Would you rub my stomach, please?"

   "If you want me to," he said. Alec sat in the bed, facing the headboard. Bay's eyes closed, fluttering every so often, when Alec began. He tried to keep his touch light, but firm enough to make his presence known. " _A la claire fontaine_ ," he whispered under his breath. He continued, gaining confidence, when Bay didn't stir. " _M’en allant promener_." Slowly his words became notes and was kept in time with the girl's silent breath. As he sang, his voice low and unpracticed, Alec remembered times when he was young and his mother would come into his room because she knew his dislike of thunderstorms. He would do this for Bay, Alec thought. He would keep the tradition alive. She was a Lightwood and should be brought up as one.

   Alec started to realize that he needed more than traditions to give her the life he wanted her to have. Alec wouldn't be able to tell Bay that the reason she wasn't allowed to see her grandmother was because her dad and grandmother fought. Never because the original punch had been over Bay. He would have to fix his relationship with Maryse. Alec couldn't wait for Maryse to come to him, he had to go to her. 

   Alec was nearing the end of the lullaby when the door opened, revealing Magnus and Sarah. They both were wearing equally fake masks of pleasantness. It made him wonder what they had said to each other, or what they had agreed on.

   Magnus walked over to him, leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Is she asleep?" he asked.

   Alec removed his hand from Bay's stomach, and pushed back a few loose hairs away from her face. "Yeah," he answered, "she's fast asleep."

   Magnus helped him stand and lead him to Sarah. 

   Before the blue-eyed man could ask Sarah said, "Your husband and I have apologized to each other, and agreed that Bay will come under your guardianship when possible. There are people, you especially, Alec, need to speak with. If you want her, you have to fight tooth and nail against some of the highest ranking clave members."

   "I'll do whatever I need to get her back," Alec answered. The conviction in his voice was airtight.

   Sarah smiled approvingly, before pulling both Magnus and he out the door. "I'm glad you're willing. Now, it's far past visiting hours and you'll need your whits about you– Shoo." Without another word the exit was shut behind them.

   o.O.o

   "I think I'm going straight to bed," Magnus said as the lock jerked open. He opened the door for both himself and Alec, waiting until the shadowhunter was inside before shutting the door. The room was dark except for a lamp left lit. Alec's father was the most likely culprit. "You coming?"

   Alec toed off his shoes. He answered in the most convincing voice he could try to mutter, "I think i'm going to see if there's any coffee left. I'll follow you in a few minutes."

   Magnus gave him a look, but went on his way. Alec left for the kitchen and was disappointed to see there wasn't any coffee in the pot. He hadn't been lying when he said he wanted caffeine. Alec's legs carried themselves opposite the master bedroom and toward the guest bedrooms, where in one such place his dad was probably asleep. He stopped in front of the door he wanted, and raised his arms to grab the key. He slid the key in, turning until it clicked, and pushed the door open.

   Alec didn't enter the room but leaned on the doorway heavily. He stared into the dark, only illuminated by the window opposite him. He only wanted silence, remembrance. The day had felt like that second of shock when someone punches you in the stomach, and now it felt like the after shock. He just couldn't stop staring at what could have been. 

   The shadowhunter jumped when he felt a hand on his side. "How long have you been there?" he asked.

   Magnus didn't look at him. He was looking past Alec into the room. After a moment the warlock said, "You've been standing here awhile."

   "Did you come to join me?"

   Out of the corner of Alec's eye he saw Magnus shake his head. "I came out here to bring you to bed. I didn't want you to spend all night standing here."

   They met eyes. "And now?" Alec wondered aloud as Magnus pulled him into a hug.

   "I want to know how you feel."

   Alec tried to hold his breath against Magnus' shoulder, but puffs of choked air kept escaping. He was sure Magnus would feel tears soaking his robe soon. Alec didn't flinch when he felt a tear fall on his neck and a pair of lips quickly after, trying to wipe it away. Magnus was trying to hold himself back, Alec realized, he was trying to be strong. Alec was surprised and a bit worried because that was often what _he_ did. Did he look so bad, even in the dark, that Magnus would feel the need to comfort him?

   "Bay told me 'I love you, Daddy,' after she brushed her teeth," Alec confessed. "And I'm going to have experience that two more times. I don't know how I feel despite overwhelmed."

   "How did it feel," Magnus asked, "when Bay called you daddy?"

   Alec kissed Magnus' shoulder. "Amazing, but you'll get to experience it next, Dad."

   "Maybe not for a very long time."

   "What do you mean?"

   Magnus shifted his weight. Alec hadn't realized how much of himself had been dependent on his husband to hold him up. He pulled Magnus closer, one arm around the warlock's back and the other around his waist, counterbalancing the previous weight distribution.

   "You had to have noticed how she looked at me. She was horrified of me. I wasn't there for her to get used to me while growing up, so now she can't even look at me."

   "Magnus, you know that's not true," Alec said sternly.

   The other man took a breath like he was going to yell, but he startled Alec by quickly grabbing his wrist and dragging him across the flat. Magnus let go when when they were in their room, and Alec had to adjust to the brightness. Magnus' back was to him as he shut the door. He didn't immediately turn around after the entryway clicked home.

   "Bay isn't used to downworlders, Alec," he said, voice soft. "I'm not someone who is welcome in her world."

   "Just because Bay didn't like you the first time she met you," Alec responded, his tone opposite the warlock's; hard and unforgiving, "doesn't mean a damn thing. You're not the first warlock in her life, you're not a blot on a child's otherwise perfect life, and you're probably lucky she didn't like you first off."

   Magnus turned around, his eyes gleaming. "What do you mean by that?"

   "She didn't like me when we first met, and now she does. She made friends with Jake then twenty minutes later I reprimanded her for getting into a fight. Jace and her couldn't stand each other and now I hear they're having drinks together. Whatever you assume of Bay now is likely going to be proven wrong."

   Magnus banged his head into the door once, sharply. He pushed himself away and crawled onto the bed, discarding his robe. He sat against the headrest, the blankets pulled over his lap, before he said, "you better be right."

   Alec rid himself of his pants and jacket before he took his spot on the bed, immersing himself in the cool bedding up to his shoulders. In a way unlike his _parabatai_ Alec asked, "When am I ever right about anything?

   The other man paralleled his body with Alec's body. "You'd be surprised," he answered.

o.O.o

 


	20. Chapter 20

   It had finally become the day that Bay Sarah, and Robert were to return to Alicante. 

   Alec leaned over his father's suit case, attempting to fix the stuck zipper while simultaneously reassuring Bay that he would see her in a couple days time.

   "I'll have nothing to do," she complained, standing over him.

   After a finally grunt as the zipper became loose, he stood up and told her, "you'll be going back to school, and I'm sure you'll have friends to play with who miss you."

   At this Bay offered only a shrug by the up-turn of the corner of her mouth. The energy she previously contained left her. 

   Alec looked around, unsure what to do next. Magnus–– his eyes squinted closed–– was leaning against the side of the institute where the portal was to be made, likely attempting to collect enough energy. Magnus had luckily skipped morning sickness, but he was often exhausted. Alec had suggested paying another warlock to open a portal, but the man would hear nothing of it.

   Maryse and Sarah were speaking tersely between them with Robert standing awkwardly beside them, hands in his pockets and surveying the uncared for grounds. The institute's lawn was clean cut with likely the last mowing of the season, but Alec noticed the plants were becoming over grown and the stones that made up the walls surrounding the institute were in need of some new mortar. Alec mused to himself that he and Bay could garden next spring if all went to plan with his mother.

   "How do you open a portal?" Bay asked.

   Alec whipped his head toward where she had been standing, but she was no longer there. She was standing next to Magnus, looking up at him. Alec held his breath. It had been two days since Magnus and he had found out, and Bay collapsed. This was the third meeting between Bay and his husband. The last meeting he and Bay had talked, but it was a battle getting her to respond to the warlock's questions. She wouldn't look him directly in the eye.

   Magnus peaked down at her. Bay stood with her head no taller than Magnus' hips. "It's very complicated," he addressed her. His demeanor was uncaring, but Alec thought he saw spark of hope in his almond-shaped eyes.

   "Complicated is easy," she answered with an air of cockiness.

   Magnus lifted an eyebrow. "Is it now?"

   Bay squirmed in place, becoming bored. "Adults always say that when they don't want to answer me."

   "How unfortunate for you, but it looks like you've caught me, blue-eyes."

   "That's not my name," she said, her voice low and dark, a warning.

   "No, it's not, but you do have beautiful blue eyes… sometimes."

   Bay's face contorted into an expression of so much shock and pain that Alec had almost taken a step toward her when her voice froze him and the other persons in their group. " _Shut up_!" she roared. "Don't ever say that! You're not allowed to say that. You can't––"

   Bay was cut-off when a small stone bench crumbled into itself near where she was standing. The girl ran past Alec to Sarah where she proceeded to ransack the woman's purse for a pair of sunglasses. Not a moment after she placed them on her face, she buried her face into Sarah's stomach.

   Alec imagined she was trying to hide inside Sarah. Like she had yet to be born, and the female nephilim sending him an apologetic look was her biological mother. His thoughts were morbid in a way he would normally try to dispel, but all he could envision was Sarah younger and carrying his baby. Every memory of an unborn child was given to her and Alec had nothing but a room full of baby furniture, a paradox that didn't belong in this different life he had just dreamed. Alec tried to clear his mind. He wanted to change everything yet absolutely nothing. It didn't matter because Magnus opened the portal, and it was taken collectively that business was done here.

   Sarah quickly whispered something something to Bay he didn't understand. It sounded Hebrew to Alec. The woman pushed Bay in the direction of Magnus, and collected their bags. The girl didn't trudge across the ground to where Magnus was regarding her coldly. She strode, clenching and unclenching her fists as if returning the control of her body back to her reasonable mind. 

   Through her sunglasses, Bay intoned directly to the warlock's face, "I'm sorry I shouted. I'm sorry that I broke the bench. Sometimes I get mad, and hurt people and things. I am trying to be better. Will you forgive me?"

   Magnus looked at the many crumbles that had once been a bench and pointed to it. "You think you broke that?" he asked.

   "You're a warlock, and I'm half you, aren't I?"

   Magnus nodded, but looked a bit perplexed. "I forgive you."

   Bay didn't wait another second. She grabbed her bag from Sarah and marched straight into the portal.

   Sarah opened her mouth to yell after her, but realized it wouldn't make a difference. She turned to Alec with an apology on her tongue. "You know Bay is better behaved than that."

   "She's probably still tired," Alec excused.

    Sarah hugged him with her spare arm, and told him, "See you soon." She joined Magnus by the portal and smiled sadly at him. "I wouldn't hint at her eyes being different."

   "I caught on to that," Magnus answered dryly.

   Sarah's smile turned mischievous. "I'm sure you two will grow very close."

   "Why do you think that?"

   "Because when we got here Bay told me that you looked very pretty."

   Magnus grinned, "I do love people with good taste."

   The woman continued, not sharing in his merriment, "In case this is the last time I see you for a long time, I want you to know that if anything happens to her I will make sure you regret any action taken against her."

   The warlock straightened his height, looking down at her. It did nothing to faze her as she simply stared at him, appearing, as though, she were waiting for an answer. "You won't have to worry about that."

   Sarah accepted his answer with a nod, and waved once last time before disappearing into another place in a different time zone.

   Robert was the last that to go. He grabbed his bag from Alec with a customary thanks.

   "You have to sniffle when you meet the guard," Alec told his dad. "If I'm going to visit you because you're sick than you need to make it believable."

   Robert smiled fondly. "Will do, son."

   Alec embraced his father quickly, muttering, "I'll see you in a couple days."

   "Yes, of course." Robert turned to his son-in-law, and shook his hand firmly. "Congratulations, again," he told them both. "You two must be very excited to have Bay and two more on the way."

   Magnus wrapped his arm around Alec's waist. "Yes, very."

   Soon Robert was gone and it was only them. 

   The warlock leaned over and whispered in Alec's ear, "You're mother's left already."

   Alec breathed in sharply and pecked Magnus' lips good-bye. He left the other man to close the portal as he ran to the front of the institute. Just as he turned the corner the front door was half shut. Alec cursed lightly as he ran around or over the foliage in his path. His goal: to make it inside before the door shut.

o.O.o

   "Mom!" Alec yelled into the sanctuary. The lights were dim, but he could see his mother standing a few yards away from the elevator. She turned around, confusion and surprise evident in her demeanor. "Mom," he repeated walking to her. When he was a comfortable distance from Maryse he said, "I'm sorry."

   Maryse regarded him without much aggregation, which Alec took for a good sign. "Sorry for what, Alexander?"

   "Everything," he said immediately. "For Ignoring you for years, and getting angry every time I heard your name. That I wasn't there for you when you and dad divorced, that I kept you out of my life as much as possible, and didn't call you on your birthday. I'm sure there's more. I just can't think of any."

   His mother shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. You don't have apologize. I caused you to do all that."

   "Yes, but I'm trying to make things right between us," Alec insisted.

   "Why?"

   He gave her an exasperated look. "I finally have my daughter back and I'll be damned if she doesn't have the entirety of her family to come back to."

   Maryse crossed her arms. "You seem to be forgetting that the reason this feud began was because of her."

   "No, it wasn't," Alec said coldly, stepping closer to the woman. She rolled her eyes heavenward then shut them tightly, trying to hold back her frustration.

   When her gaze met her son's she said, "Why do you think I yelled at you?"

   "Dad told me you were angry because some nephilim died in a mission you had lead."

   "Alec, when have I ever taken my anger out on you when something like that happened?"

   The male shadowhunter opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. None of the rare memories which both mother and son had fought did Alec not do something worthy of her anger.

   Maryse reached out her hand and brushed away a few hairs from the younger nephillim's forehead. She said in way that was almost fond, yet still held a sense of frustration, "I've tried so hard to train you out of it, but when it came to the bigger picture you could never quite see it."

   "I was so angry at you, Alexander, that couldn't see straight," she continued, any trace of comfort gone from her voice, and the space between them seemed to grow more distant though neither dared to move. "Aside from the obvious I couldn't believe what was happening. You looked so hopeful, and Isabelle and Jace had been happy for you–– I can see that now. I couldn't then." Maryse took a breathe. "All I could see was you pulling away and turning into someone I didn't know."

   Despite his mother's unorthodox attempt at consolation, Alec found himself snapping, "Then you should have taken it out on me! Not on my baby. Not my _perfect_ baby."

   "I think I began to realize something: you never changed. Everything around you did. You were adapting to it, and I felt like you weren't including me in your new life." She raised her arms as if to say she didn't have anything more to trade. "There's my side, now I want to hear yours."

   "I don't have a side. I was never mad at you before that day, and after that I had more important things to worry about. I just hate it that you didn't try to involve yourself in _my_ life. Since the last time I really talked to you I've had a child, I've had that child kidnapped, I've gotten married, I've started to make a name for myself- I've even been offered a position as head of the Boston Institute because I'm book smart. _I have made_ _an entire life_ without you, Mom, and it's entirely your fault that you weren't there."

   Maryse looked scandalized in a way that reminded him of Isabelle when she was over-zealous about things. Now that his sister was older and had grow into an adult, the similarities between mother and daughter were striking. Had Alec not been trying to get to the end of this conversation he may have commented on it.

   "What do you mean you turned down the Boston Institute?" she demanded of him. "Do you not know how great––?"

   "I would have had to divorce Magnus had I taken the position," Alec said in a sepulchral tone. He bore into Maryse' eyes with his own, daring her to say anything against Magnus' position in his career.

   "I want you back in my life," Alec admitted when it looked like his mother was choosing not to respond. "I've gone through everything I mentioned without you, but _I need your help_." 

   Without intention, Alec had let out some of his desperation with his words. He could see the concern in the wrinkles between his mother's eyes. It had been some years since he'd seen her look at him like that, and the man could feel cracks beginning to form in the determination he'd built over the past few days.

   "Alec, are you okay?"

   The younger nephilim shook his head without looking at her. Alec was surprised when his mom embraced him and put his head on her shoulder, petting his hair as she had done when he was a child.

   "You are doing an amazing job," she said. "I can't imagine how hard it must be to take all this change at once. You should be very proud of yourself."

   Alec clung to her back, breathing in air through his mouth. His airways felt choked, and his chest like there was a thick rubber band compressing his ribs. A sob followed as his next escaping breath. "She's dying, mom. Bay–– she's–," he rasped out. "I finally found her, but I could loose her; and I can't do _anything_!"

   Maryse kissed the side of his head, tenderly. She didn't dare speak, but continued to comfort him.

   "I even dreamed last night that after the twins were born they were kidnapped, but I just knew that when Magnus and I would find them they'd be dead with what Bay has. Magnus hasn't had any prophetic dreams, which equally worries me as much as it… _doesn't_."

   "You two are having twins?" she whispered.

   Alec hugged her tighter, fearing that she may push away. "Didn't Isabelle tell you?"

   He felt Maryse shake her head. "No, nobody has told me anything lately. I didn't learn about Bay until this morning when Sarah and she arrived."

   Alec was shocked. Isabelle had always been the bridge of information between the quarreling pair. Though both ignored it, Alec and his mother had always known that they checked in on the other. Lightwoods stuck together.

   "Well, we have Bay back, and Magnus is pregnant with twins. I'm going to go to Alicante in a couple of days to make Bay's return official. Any other news has to do with Bay's treatments."

   Maryse began to pull away, but Alec was relieved when the separation didn't feel forced. She brought him an arms length distance from herself, and fixed his hair, distractedly.

   "How do you intend to bargain for parental rights?" she asked diplomatically. Her demeanor toward him had returned to the one of his childhood memories. Maryse had been loving in her own way of challenging her children, and trying to make them think a second time before making decisions. A task that was near impossible during their adolescent years. Alec didn't want her to look at him the same as she had when he was a child, but a bit of the past was welcome in his rapidly changing world.

   "When I'm in Alicante–"

   "What's your excuse for getting in?" she interrupted. She gestured to the nearest pew. "If we're going to continue we should sit down."

   Once Alec was sat, Maryse leaning on the back of the pew in front of him, he recited, "Dad is pretending to be sick. That's how I'll be getting in. What I'll have to do when I get there is talk to Arthur Phineas, Bay's primary tutor."

   Maryse made a sound in the back of her throat. "No, you want to avoid that. I know him personally, and if you want something of his, like I'm sure he feels Bay is, than you want to go through other people first. I'll give you a list of people who can get you the papers you need under the table."

   "You'll do that?" Alec asked.

   "Yes, of course," Maryse said brusquely as if her son's uncertainty was unwarranted. "I don't trust her training to be supervised by anyone but me."

   Alec didn't say anything, confused by his mother's abrupt turn of opinion about his daughter and her well-care. Eventually a thank-you stumbled from his lips, which was then followed by silence.

   Maryse cleared her throat. "Is Magnus waiting for you?" she asked.

   "I told him to take a cab home."

   "Ah."

   Alec stood, the urge to leave suddenly upon him. "I'll call you later."

   His mom walked him to the door, her hand on his upper back. She opened the door for him, but wouldn't let him go. Alec ducked his head obediently as she attempted to fix the front of his hair one last time. She made an exasperated noise at his hair's perchance not to lay flat. 

   "Go now," she shooed. "I'll talk with you later."

   The younger smiled fondly. "Yes. Ma'am."

o.O.o

   Alicante was busy with the morning commuters, who passed by Alec to get to their conclave jobs. He was walking through the historic part of town, the Accords Hall was visible in the distance above the smaller stucco buildings. The wind blew harshly and stung the shadowhunter's cheeks. He tightened the string in his hoodie and ducked his head. He blended in though he was wearing jeans and a hoodie, a backpack resting on his back, when the waves of persons were dressed for business.

   Robert Lightwoods house was in the opposite direction of which Alec was walking. He was given directions where to meet Sarah and settle his bags down, but he made an executive decision to ignore the guidelines given to him and follow different directions. He ducked between two elder homes and passed through the city using backroads and alleys. Alec stopped outside a nameless government office. He walked in through glass doors into a waiting room, and gave his name to the receptionist. Within minutes he was leaving the elevator and entering one of the many offices scattered across the floor.

   He peaked his head through the glass door without knocking. "I thought you worked from home," Alec said, smiling at his childhood friend.

   Aline Penhallow grinned back at him, and stood from her chair. She jogged over to him and hugged him harder than warranted for there brief separation. When he tensed slightly, unused to the affection, she merely laughed and smiled up at him. "You need to get used to hugs. You have a little girl now."

   In way of his congenial personality Alec tightened his grip before pulling away. The lady, dressed in a blouse and pant suit, stepped away as well. Her demeanor shifted as she motioned for Alec to take a seat, herself doing the same.

   "Your mother talked to me yesterday and I've compiled all that I could get my hands on," Aline said, rummaging through one of her desk drawers. She pulled out a small stack of papers– no higher than an inch–, and gave Alec a weary smile. Though to he it looked more like a grimace. "I wasn't allowed access to Bay's personal file, but that could easily mean that it's filed privately," she consoled quickly.

   Alec asked, "Is that important?"

   The lady handed him a folder. "That depends. What you have there is Bay's school portfolio– feel free to check any grades if you wish. Since Bay is listed without any parentage she is technically an orphan and property of the state. We could send her to the New York Institute. Maryse would be her legal guardian, but it shouldn't be too much of a hassle for her to give the rights to you."

   "What does 'that depends' mean?"

   Aline was surprised that he was paying attention. Alec was flipping though the papers she had handed him slowly. Sometimes a corner of his lips would twitch into a smile; sometimes his mouth would draw into a tight line. There was a point to which she could't understand what he was thinking when he saw the thin file. There was nothing more than a few papers of information, since this was her first year attending school, but this was also the beginning of his relationship with Bay. Any information about the girl would interest him.

   "I talked with Sarah Miller, Bay's legal guardian, and she told me that Arthur Phineas is also a guardian. Though Bay is technically an orphan she is equally as so adopted. Sarah has agreed to give up her guardianship, but you can't gain anything from that if Arthur doesn't relinquish his."

   Alec looked at her, lost. "There's no way I or Sarah _or whoever_ can take away his rights without him signing off on it?"

   She shook her head solemnly. "He's too high ranked in the Clave. If we file any suit against him, it would simply be pushed aside. I doubt you'd even get a hearing."

    "I really like the sound of the first option." His eyes were downcast. He looked like a man whose plan was becoming increasingly impossible, which was, in his case, true.

    "I thought I'd give you the least likely to work first. That was probably a bad idea."

   Alec nodded enthusiastically, eyebrows raised, affirming Aline's suspicions.

   "This could take a very long time, Alec–"

   She stopped speaking when his head snapped up; his stare at her desperate enough that she could feel it.

   "Do you have the papers I would need Arthur to sign?" Wordlessly she opened another drawer and pulled out an envelope, handing it to him almost hesitantly. "If I got Arthur Phineas to sign these what would I have to do after that?"

   "Well, since he already is a consul member than his word would be final and you wouldn't have to make your case with the board. I could over see your becoming Bay's guardian when both Sarah and he give you the right. But you would need a written statement from them both that they agree to sign their rights to you."

   He made to stand, but she held out her hands in warning. "Before you do anything, have you asked Bay what she wants?"

   Alec, who up till this moment had been ready to leave, settled himself back into his seat. He stared back at Aline with realization. He had never asked Bay if she wanted to live with him and Magnus. Until this time Alec had assumed that she would come to New York and leave Alicante. He'd never stopped to wonder if Bay would want to leave Sarah, everything she knew and considered _home_.

   "I've never asked her," he said dolefully.

   Her smile to him was motherly in its kindness. "Don't panic. I'm sure if she didn't want you then you would know."

   Alec wasn't wholly convinced, but he accepted her consoling words appreciably. "Thank-you, Aline," he complimented, standing fully. Alec tucked the manilla envelope in his backpack. "I couldn't…"

   "You couldn't do any of this without me?" she smiled. "I know." The brown-eyed nephilim stood, and offered a handshake good-bye. Alec accepted, leaving the room with a sense of determination surrounding him.

o.O.o

   Alec let himself ride the wave of people in the general direction of the Accords Hall. In truth, as much as he was uneasy with determination to do _something_ … he didn't know what that something was. That was until he stopped, waiting to cross the street, next to no other than Arthur Phineas. Alec didn't stare. He didn't so much as turn his head toward the man. Alec simply followed him down the road to the same cafe where he first met Bay's seven year old self.

   Alec followed him past the bell over-hanging the door and sat himself across from the bearded elder.

   "Don't do something stupid," Arthur said, barely a glance taken at his intruder. He waved at the waitress on shift.

   "I didn't plan on it." What he said was only a half-truth. Up to this point he hadn't thought of a plan. He only saw an opportunity.

   Arthur didn't say anything to him until the waitress had left with only his order. He had said that Alec wasn't eating with a finality that made even the girl stutter over her repeat of two eggs sunny-side-up and one coffee. "I don't know what you want, but I'm not in the giving mood."

   "Are you ever?" Alec asked genuinely.

   The elder considered this for a moment. "I've never had an employee complain about how much I pay them," he mused.

   "That's not what I meant," the blue-eyed nephilim snapped. Alec was tired of Arthur's games. Shouldn't the other man know by now who he was and what he wanted? Judging by the tension growing in his hands, Alec noticed of himself, it would be wise for both of them to get to the point.

   "I have no idea what you met then. Who, in the name of the angel, _are_ you?"

   "Alec Lightwood," he said with an equal sense of finality. "Bay's father."

   Arthur's eyes widened, though the rest of his face remained the same. With a blink the look was gone. His demeanor lost it's nonchalance, and when he spoke there was tension to his words. "Are you here to bargain a deal?"

   "I'm not bargaining over my daughter."

   "That may be in good for you because you don't have anything to bargain."

   "It's not about have something over the other," Alec insisted. "It's about whats best for Bay."

   Arthur burst into harsh, bitter laughter. "You can't provide that. You can't know her like I do. She has one of the best minds I have ever known. She has proven to be much more than I had ever hoped."

   "What did hope to gain with her?–– Taking her away from me?" Alec demanded. Vulnerability fell out of his mouth without his intension. He found himself pausing, shocked almost with the amount of emotion he let out over the small rounded table at which they were seated. Arthur did the same. He watched the younger nephilim with pulsating waves of intrigue, but in the spaces Alec thought he saw a bit of guilt.

   "A member from the New York Clave told be about a warlock/nephilim child yet to be born, and equally as interesting, the _son_ of the institute's head was due to give birth," said the elder. "I saw a chance to mold the perfect ambassador between the shadowhunters and downworlders. impure nephilim are rare, and she is the rarest."

   "Shadowhunter is a dominant gene. Bay _is_ Nephilim."

   "She is capable of so much more, and that capability has its best chance here where she has the best schools and private tutoring and where counsel meeting she can sit in are held."

   "Bay is not eighteen. She shouldn't be allowed to listen in. It's against the law," said Alec, stubborn as always.

   Arthur sighed, "In a way, Bay is outside the law. Her life has been fort of my personal experiment. To see if sitting a child in a meeting would lead to future, better involved adults. The point of my experiment was to create a idealistic member of the clave. Someone who could stand in front of crowds of people and represent nephilim with knowledge and pride. Do you really want to take her away from such a future as that?"

   Alec stared blankly at him. What Arthur was saying couldn't be true. Would taking her away with him ruin any potential of a great future for her? Somewhere in the back of his head he knew that he couldn't go home without her, but for a moment doubt crossed his mind with a heavy stone bridge underfoot. Arthur took advantage of his hesitation and continued to speak.  

   "You seem reasonable. Wouldn't any father want that for his daughter?"

   "What any _father_ would want is to have his daughter!" Exploded Alec in haste. His hands had fisted and smacked the table hard enough that a crack split the middle. The few patrons loitering after their late breakfast fell silent. "You either sign over any right you have over Bay, or I _swear_ on Raziel's name that if you don't I will do everything in my power to make your life miserable. Sometimes marrying a man with unlimited power, who has a shorter fuse than I, comes in handy."

   Arthur was silent as the other persons around them were, but the look he was sending Alec was far more severe than the irritated stares focusing on both of them. "I will discuss this with my lawyer."

   "No. I already discussed this with my lawyer," Alec growled. "All you need to do is sign some papers, and your part would be done."

   He spluttered under the verbal assault.

   "You don't have much choice, _Arthur_ ," he spat his name like a curse bitter on his tongue, "The child is my blood, not yours and I don't want you to be associated with her in any way. If she becomes a great spokes person for the nephilim, I will be so proud, but you will have nothing to do with her success. We both know what you did was not legal. And I think most people would look at it worse than that."

   The elder's skin had turned a bleached white, and was blotched with red on his cheeks. He was holding in his rage. "Nothing can be done at the moment. So, leave, and arrangements will be made––"

   "I already have the papers. If you have a pen we can finish this here and we won't ever have to hear from each other." The blue-eyed man shifted his backpack so he could procure what he needed. "All you need is to sign these."

   After a pen was procured from the waitress, both men talked about important sections, and what needed to be signed and where, through tight lips. Not even when the final stoke of Arthur's hand had graced the page, was the uneasiness between them gone. 

   Arthur said to him, "I don't understand you, but even with your own stupidity you've managed to make a fool of me."

   Alec clung the papers near his chest with both arms, as if guarding it from possible attacks, and stood. With a pseudo pleasant smile he said, "I hope you choke on your eggs."

o.O.o

   "Glad you finally showed up," said Sarah, climbing the stars to her apartment. "I took off work today so someone would be here to great you this morning."

   Alec bowed his head as he followed behind her. After his chance meeting with Arthur, he hadn't met with Sarah as he was supposed to once he had arrived in Idris. Even after his two detours it would have still been morning had the nephilim decided he couldn't meet with her then. Alec roamed the streets until he was sure he was lost. He wanted to call Magnus and tell him everything that had happened within the last few hours. He almost needed to talk to his _parabatai_ , who would make him feel grounded and not like he was floating aimlessly. It wasn't until past lunch did Alec set back to find the Accords Hall. 

   He genuinely felt bad for making Sarah miss her work. That hadn't been his intension.

   "Was I wrong that you were arriving in the morning?" the woman asked when Alec didn't say anything.

   "You were right. I'm sorry I didn't think about that."

   Sarah turned in the archway to look at him, light from inside the flat highlighted her silhouette. "What were you doing then?"

   "I got Arthur to sign over his guardianship," Alec answered truthfully.

   "No, you didn't!" Her disbelief had turned her voice into a shameful version of her posh Oxford accent. She cleared her throat, feeling the need to compose herself. "Did you torture him? Use magic to control him?–– Recite __ until his ears bled? He does so hate _The Importance of Being Earnest_."

   "I didn't do any of that," he said slightly offended. "We argued, and eventually I got him to sign the papers I had on me."

   "Do you still have them?"

   "No, I gave them back to Aline for safekeeping."

   Sarah nodded with consideration. "That was probably wise," she mused, turning around and walking through the archway, into the apartment.

   "No door?" Alec asked.

   Sarah shrugged, "No need. Not many people know this is here, and, really, what's a door?"

   "Not an obstacle for a steele," Alec recited. While he spoke he could hear Hodge's voice in the back of his mind. _A steele is one of the most powerful, useful weapons a shadowhunter could have. There is nothing man-made this steele can't overcome._

  Alec followed Sarah into the flat's hallway. The witch lights overhead began to glow as she walked under them, bringing life back to the empty house. Sarah's flat was decorated like many other Alicantian homes. The hallway was long and thin with five doors along the walls. At the very end was an entrance to a library, which Sarah was entering.

   He hurried after her, trying not to gawk at the place Bay called home. Where she grew up, learned to walk and talk. It was surreal to think that for years he would have given the world to know where she was and he was _there_.

   "It's a bit chilly," Sarah said, attracting his attention. She was throwing logs into the fireplace. She stood, wiping her hands on her pants, and murmured to herself, "Now where did I hide it…?" 

   Alec watched as Sarah rummaged through the built-in bookshelves. After a minute more of searching, she pulled out a book.

   " _Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea_ ," Sarah read as she opened the book from the back and plucked out a steele. She walked back to the fireplace.

   "You kept your steele at home?" Alec asked.

   "No, mine is in my bag. I didn't feel like rummaging through it." She stood and turned to him. The _adamas_ in her open palm was decorated with what appeared to be atoms interacting and splitting apart. At the end was the star of David. "No, this was my mother's."

   From inside the fireplace the wood logs crackled. Sparks flew from runes etched dark into the wood.

    Sarah noticed were Alec's attention was kept, and explained, "my mom made this herself. She was practically a Iron Sister before she left the nephilim. I was going to give it to Bay when she was older."

   "What happened to your mom?" Alec asked with sincerity.

   Sarah was surprised at his caring tone. But answered, "my dad," with a shortness that indicated she knew what she was saying would be funny to him.

   Alec was the first to grin. Sarah followed suit with a little laugh. "Why, don't you take a seat and I'll fetch us a cuppa," she said, gesturing to the lounge chairs.

   When she'd gone, Alec allowed his eyes to wonder about the room from where he sat–– in a worn velvet armchair, it's twin to the left of it. In front of him was a desk, where a couple stacks of books cluttered the wooden surface. From his place, he could read such titles as _Science in History_ and _The Basic Writings of Sigmund Freud_. On the opposite side of the room where the bookshelves encompassed the walls, lay an impressive Grand piano, and by that, placed almost carelessly on an small reading table, a Tiffany lamp.

   When Sarah reentered the room she handed him a mug full with warm tea, and set about moving the second chair across from him. She sat, one leg crossed over the other, sipping at her tea. She smiled thoughtfully at him. "Bay should be home any minute now."

   Alec smiled sheepishly at her. "Was I that obvious?"

   "Not really, but since that's who you're here to see… "

    "What time is it? he asked, searching the walls for a clock. He was fighting the urge to drink his tea all at once. His mind may have been elsewhere, but his body was aware that he'd skipped both breakfast and lunch.

   "Almost four," she answered. "After dinner I have a class to teach. Would you mind watching her while I'm gone."

   "Yeah, of course," Alec agreed quickly. "You trust me enough to be here alone with her?"

   He didn't realize what he was asking until he had finished speaking. In truth, the enormous leash Sarah gave Bay terrified him. Alec wouldn't ever let his daughter play with an adult he barely knew. 

   Sarah sighed sympathetically at him. "I wouldn't if you weren't going to take her home with you. The only reason I let her play with you in New York was that I had my suspicions of who you really were, and I grew to trust you. You probably think I let her run everywhere and do what she wants."

   Alec eyes widened fractionally, and Sarah smiled. He said hurriedly, "I don't think you've done a bad job. I haven't thought anything like that."

   "I know, just,"–– she leaned forward, watching her words as carefully as she did Alec––, "try to be aware of how over-protect you're going to be with Bay. I understand that you won't let her out of your sight for a very long time. I'm just warning you that though Bay is well behaved when she needs to be, she needs to feel like she is in control. The best parenting trick you'll learn is to make your ideas sound like _her_ ideas."

   "I haven't asked her if she even wants to come home with me," Alec said with a dip of his head in shame.

   Before Sarah could respond, the bang of a metal door was heard in the loft, followed by the running footsteps of a child. Alec turned in his chair toward the hallway when the banging had stopped as she had reached their floor.

   "Sarah," Bay called, shuffling through the archway with her arms scanning the air around her and her eyes shut. "I have gone blind."

   He heard rather than saw Sarah chuckle. "That must be absolutely terrible," she said with a sort of grandeur concern. "When did it happen?"

   Bay continued to stumble along the hallway, one hand on the wall beside her. She was halfway near them when she said, "After I left school. Peter guided me here, and now you must lead me to you by the sound of your voice."

   Sarah played along. "I think I have a cure for your blindness."

   "I doubt that."

   "I lied to you," she prompted. 

   Bay paused briefly, but continued her journey.

   When she was entering the living room, Sarah said, "Alec is not arriving tomorrow. He is sitting right next to you."

   Without further persuasion Bay's eyes snapped open, and she jumped onto his lap as if a miracle had truly been preformed. "You're here," she declared, hugging him around his neck.

   Alec turned his head to kiss her cheek. His arms wrapped around her, and he could smell her scent–– dust and strawberries. 

o.O.o

** **


	21. Chapter 21

   Bay's fingers spread their longest length across the ivory keys. The perfect eighths jumped up and down the scale before the right hand produced the melody that was naturally Rachmaninoff. The old pipes creaked as the water from the shower ran through them, trying to change the down beat, but Bay progressed. Even as the shower was turned off, she continued her practice until the bathroom door was opened, and Alec was in his borrowed room. The concerto  ended with trickling notes and an abrupt, dramatic turn away from the piano.

   Just as she had entered the doorway to the spare bedroom, her throat contracted and she began to cough violently. Alec turned toward her, and from his crouched position over his bag, stood. He walked toward her, but she had finished her bout of coughs. Bay met him halfway, hugging him around his bare torso. He petted the top of her hair.

   "You smell like strawberries," she mused, giving his stomach butterfly kisses. Alec squirmed slightly.

   "I forgot shampoo and body wash. I had to use yours." He grimaced, and made show like he couldn't stand the smell.

   Bay grinned. "I think you smell nice." She pulled away, hands held flat on his stomach, and looked at him. "You have the softest stomach I've ever felt."

   Alec flushed slightly. "Muscles don't fully heal after carrying a baby," he said, but she wasn't looking at him. Bay's eyes traveled across the scared and runed skin, pondering. Her finger traced a rune she knew was meant to keep him calm in mind and spirit. From above her, Alec told her softly, "You were in there once. Long time ago."

   "I must have been very tiny."

   "Yes, you were." Alec smiled so fondly at Bay that she flushed slightly and turned her head away from him. In his hand was a cellphone. He must have been reading it, she thought, while he was going through his bag for a shirt. Bay didn't like cellphones. They didn't work in Alicante, so she had never seen one until Sarah had bought a disposable phone in New York. She didn't know why Alec was using his, and, frankly, didn't like it. He was supposed to pay attention to her.

   "Why do you have that?" She was irritated and didn't care if Alec could hear it in her voice or not.

   "Have what––?" he asked. Alec noticed where she was looking and rolled his eyes at himself. "Magnus–– your father texted me."

   "What did he say?" Bay chose to ignore any feelings that arose when Alec called Magnus her father. 

   "I don't know. I didn't even get a chance to put my shirt on." He put the cellphone into her hand, and instructed, "You can read it to me while I go do that." 

   Bay fiddled around–– she had learned a little about phones from Sarah–– until the screen lit up and informed her of a new message. She read aloud, "Little Alexander and number two are doing somersaults. It's unsettling."

   Alec and her exchanged a confused glance, while he buttoned up his blue short sleeve shirt. He shook his head, laughing softly when realization struck him, but when he looked back at her she could tell he was hesitant toward her. He was keeping a secret, Bay thought.

   "How is this working?" she asked. 

   "Your father did something to it. I try not to ask."

   Alec held his hand out to her, a silent request for his phone. He looked as if he was debating whether or not to respond. Pocketing the phone, he told her, "There are a couple things I want to talk to you about." Alec must have noticed the worry on Bay's face because he was quick to console. "Nothing bad I promise. I just want to make you know and want what's happening.

   Uneasy, and without comfort from Alec's attempted consolation, Bay laid herself down on the bed. She didn't say anything, instead waiting for her dad to speak first. Bay's heart pounded in the silence. In the past weeks, any news was bad news. Like the kind that sent you across the globe to have a special kind of medicine attempt to kill you so that maybe you might live. 

    Alec sat on the edge of the bed, facing her, and rubbed his hand up and down her back. "Do you know what's going on exactly? Why I'm here?"

  "You want to become my dad legally," Bay frowned at him. "That is why you're here, isn't it?"

   "Yes, of course," he answered quickly. His hand stilled. "What that means is Magnus and I want you to live with us in New York."

   "Sarah told me that, but––" Bay crawled onto his lap, batting her eyelashes–– "Idris is home to every shadowhunter. You could stay here with me."

   Alec shook his head. "Magnus can't enter the wards, and I have to stay with him."

   "You have to stay with me, too," she said, and not with some jealousy.

   "I would like for that to be true, but that's your decision." The elder nephilim held her gaze with his own, and in it Bay could see desperation. The girl knew that she was going to live in New York in a few days time. Sarah had made plans that dictated her leaving her childhood home. Bay found it a nice change that Alec would ask what she wanted when all she'd known was dictation. "Do you want to come home with me, or live here with Sarah?"

   She didn't waste time in answering, "I want to go with you."

   The relief on Alec's face was evident. He hugged her closely to his body, and kissed her forehead. "I forgot to ask you before I started making everything legal."

   "I thought you knew."

   "I had assumed…," he didn't finish his thought. Alec touched his temple to her own, closing his eyes. "You have a whole family waiting for you," he murmured to her. "Both Jace and Isabelle wanted to come with me. I had to tell them it was better for me to come alone. They weren't convinced."

   "Does Magnus really want me?" asked Bay, choosing her words carefully. She had debated over calling him Mr. Bane or Father, and found that she was uncomfortable with both. 

   Alec held her face in his hands, and was looking at her. She kept her attention to anywhere on his face, but his eyes. "Magnus wants you and loves you just as much as I do," The nephilim insisted, brusquely. "I know it's difficult to see that in him, but you're not exactly the most welcoming person either."

   Bay's face was considerate. "Am I mean to you?" she asked with pure curiosity, no bitterness gracing her words.

   "Not always, but you can be."

   She rolled off his lap to lie on her stomach once more. With her face in the sheets, she reminded, "You said there was something else you wanted to tell me."

   Alec had laid himself beside the girl. His position was opposite her's, his chest to the ceiling. "Only with your father present."

   "You do have a magical phone," pointed out Bay.

   He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and pressed speed dial. "It's not Magical––" Alec's mouth was covered by Bay's hand.

   "Sarah knows more nephilim who use magical than most beings of the Downworld. Don't bother to deny it."

   From Alec's phone, Magnus' voice rang clear, "I know what you're going to say, but I don't care. One of our children will be named after you."

   The elder nephilim attempted to wrestle a response from his mouth, but Bay's hand wouldn't let go.

   "Did you butt dial me?" Magnus asked blandly after a minute. They were married long enough to be excited when called, but when no response came, ask whether or not the other had sat on their phone.

   " _Ah!_ " Bay shrieked after Alec had bitten her fingers. Though her outburst was mostly for show.

   "No, no, I'm here," Alec spoke hurriedly at the same time Bay accused, "You bit me!"

   "Bay's there with you?" inquired Magnus.

   "Yes," he answered, trying to hide a grin. He placed the phone between Bay, who was sitting crossed legged, and himself.

    "Hello, Bay." Cautiously Magnus asked, "How are you feeling today?"

   "Knackered, and sore." She was quick in getting to the point. "Dad said you had something to tell me."

   "Oh, did he?" The warlock's tone of voice was evidence enough to Alec that he knew what Bay was talking about.

   "I wanted to tell her sooner rather than later," he said, unsure almost to the point of a question. "With you, of course."

   Bay looked between the mobile and Alec. He was clearly uncomfortable, and his uneasy body language affected her. She was straining for the other man to speak, possibly to further hint at the turn of discussion.

   "And you wanted to do that over the phone?"

   The elder nephilim retorted, "If you want to wait––"

   "No, I agree with you. It would be best to tell her now."

   "Tell me what?" Bay finally snapped,

   With slight hesitancy in his voice Alec said to her, "You're going to be a big sister."

   The thickness in the air was palatable as if the steam from Alec shower had congregated in the room, and was choking her. Bay looked down at Alec's stomach subconsciously, but she had felt his abdomen. It was hard from years of battle, yet soft when she had pressed her head against it. 

   Alec caught her glance, and quickly assured, "Not me, no. I'm not having anymore babies."

   "Then where are you getting it?" she demanded. Her eyes stung, and she prayed silently that the betrayal she felt couldn't be seen or heard. The clarity and brightness of the room was growing, as she felt her eyes shift and change.

   "From me, and this time, there are two," Magnus' voice rang clear like diamonds, cutting into her skull. She almost screamed from the pain.

   Soft and worried, Alec asked, "Bay, are you feeling alright?"

   Bay's bottom lip trembled. "I'm sorry," she apologized, choking over her words. "I'm sorry I didn't look for you when I was younger. I never really thought about it, and had assumed you were dead. I shouldn't have assumed."

   "You don't need to be sorry. There was no way––"

   She didn't see Alec move to hold her–– she was crying to deeply––, but when his arms went around her Bay pushed back. She didn't want his comfort. Magnus and he were replacing her. The girl had never called the one person in the world who cared for her wellbeing since infancy mother. That title had been taken before any memories could be retraced in Bay's past. She felt the deepest sense of betrayal. She had waited for them, but they didn't wait for her.

   "You're replacing me," she tried to accuse but the words slurred and came out as a harsh breath.

   " _No_!" both Magnus and Alec's voice yelled in the same moment. The nephilim continued, "We would _never_ do that. You were at the top of our minds when––"

   Bay scrambled off the bed, and ran to the door. Her feet quick, ready if her dad wanted to stop her. She slipped out into the hall, and whispered, "I want to stay with Sarah," before she shut the door with a sense of finality.

o.O.o

   Silence followed the girl's departure, bringing with it doleful emotion. Alec pulled his knees up, and covered his face with his hands. In his mind, thoughts of failure spun in repeated circles, reprimanding him. 

   "Alec," the voice in his phone asked, "you can pretend the phone is me and hug it in your curled up position."

   "You don't know what position I'm in."

   "Of course I do," he said indignantly, as if the notion was absurd. "You're curled into a ball, and the only reason your not hiding your face behind your hands is so you can talk to me."

   "Go away," Alec mumbled in a tone that belied his request. "You're trying to make me feel better."

   "That would my intention, yes."

   "I made her cry, Magnus. I don't deserve to be happy."

   He had been the oldest child since he was a toddler, nothing could be more normal in his world. He hadn't considered that Bay was growing up as an only child. Bay was possessive, and would see other children around him and Magnus as rivals. In the same way Alec couldn't imagine a world without Isabelle and Jace, Bay couldn't see other smaller bodies residing with her.

   Magnus did not speak during his brief pause. Alec continued, "We've chosen the worst time to have more kids."

   The warlock hummed in thought. "I'd always thought that I was a man with an able sense of timing."

   "Stop trying to make me smile," Alec groaned.

   "No, I don't think I will." Magnus' voice became serious. "It's not your fault. It's mine. I shouldn't have done what I did. I'm sorry you have to go through Bay's temper tantrum."

   "Is that what that was?" Alec asked in all honesty. "Magnus, I need you here. I can't–– this is my first time babysitting her, and I've screwed-up."

   "I would be there if I could, but either way you're doing fine. Soon you and Bay will be home. Speaking of which, did you speak to Aline today?"

   Alec uncurled himself, laying himself across the bed, legs splayed, and head laid on unfamiliar pillows. He placed his phone on his chest. The weight tugged at his breathing, holding him down. 

   Alec was straight to the point. "Yes I did, and I have Arthur Phineas' signature. The only thing left is for Sarah to sign away her rights."

   Magnus was silent for a moment. "You've accomplished that much today?" he asked incredulous. "I thought you'd waste a couple days playing with Bay."

   Alec scoffed.

   "Now I guess all that's left is to pack her stuff, and come home," Magnus mused happily, unaware of the accomplishment it was.

   Alec pressed his head back further into the pillow, his brows furrowed. "She said she wanted to stay here, with Sarah." The words were cruel and harsh against his mouth.

   "Did Bay say this when angry?"

   "Right before she stormed out," he mumbled, miserably.

   "Saying things you don't mean is all part of a temper tantrum. Give her time to cool down then go talk to her. But in the meantime," Magnus sounded smug, "would you like to ask about my day?"

   The corner of his mouth twitched. "How was your day?"

    "Pretty uneventful, really. But I've been thinking about future plans. When Alexander jr. and number two are born they'll be sleeping in our room."

   "I agree with that, but we're not naming one of them after me. Not happening."

   "That's too bad. I already had a blanket monogramed."

   "No you didn't. We don't even know the genders." Alec coughed. "Would you like to see the Silent Brothers–– have them check you out?"

   Magnus' voice held both suspicion and confusion. "You didn't want that the first time around."

   The nephilim rubbed the back of his neck, almost embarrassed. "I think I was kind of rebelling, but––"

   The speakers crackled at the excelled volume of Magnus' laugh. Alec knew what he was going to say before he said it. A perk of being married for six years. 

   "I didn't know you were such a rebel when you were young!" Magnus cackled. "Had you told me, we could have gone to this exotic bar in––"

   "I regret ever asking," said Alec, annoyed. "I'm hanging up."

   "No, no, wait. Give me a moment."

   It took a considerable amount of time for the elder man to keep the laughter from his voice. He could be heard collapsing in a chair–– Alec pictured him wiping away tears.

   "You were saying?"

   The shadowhunter purposely did not repeat himself. "I just want to do things more traditionally. I understand if you're not comfortable, but I regret not having a Silent Brother check-in on me, which a Brother would have given us a gender, and been there for the birth. As much as I wish Bay could have been kept a bigger secret, I don't want to hide the twins like we did Bay. I don't think that would send a good message to her."

   "I'll think about it. We would need a Brother that's trust worthy. I like the idea about being more open, I feel we deserve that, but there is still that fear, Alec. It will never go away."

   Alec didn't need to respond. A mutual agreement was held between them without words. Instead he decided to change the subject. "Do you think I should go talk to Bay?"

   "I'm sure you're desperate, but one last thing. I made the appointment to see if my bone marrow is a match."

   "If you are a match, would you have to wait until the twins are born before donating?"

   Magnus chuckled. "I wouldn't know, darling," he said. "Go talk to Bay. I love you."

   "I love you, too." Alec listened to the ending click of his phone disconnecting, begrudgingly. He lifted the mobile onto the bedside table, and rolled himself into a sitting position perched on the edge of the bed. He needed to speak to Bay. Alec wondered if it would always feel like this. When he and Bay had an argument, would he feel so much trepidation in settling the differences?

   Alec forced his body into the hallway and knocked on Bay's door. Not surprisingly no answer was given. The nephilim pushed the door open slowly, peaking his head inside. The room was dark. His eyes had to adjust to the abrupt change. He saw the outline of his daughter sitting in the far corner at her vanity table. Her back was hunched over, and Alec couldn't tell if it was from pain or simply fatigue.

   "Bay," Alec said unsure of what to say further. He flicked up the light-switch.

   Her body tensed and her face contorted to suffering. The last thing he saw before abruptly turning off the lights was a small, glass bottle drop from Bay's hands to the floor. Alec rushed to her side. He was relieved for a moment when he remembered the sensitivity of the Mark that was handed down to her. He thought it was the cause of her distress, but when he placed his hand on her arm he knew his assumption was wrong. Bay's body was shaking.

   Alec felt for pulse in the girl's neck. He pulled his fingers back, feeling more worried for her heart rate was speeding as if she had sprinted in the last minute. He next searched for the bottle he had seen fall. He brought it to his nose, and smelled the bitterness of medicine.

   "What was in this?" he asked urgently. When his words dissipated in the silence he yelled, "Bay, answer me!" 

   Alec could see the shapes of her face now. In the muted darkness her features conveyed no response. He took her pulse, which was equally as fast as before, once more. His decision was made. Bay would be taken to the hospital. 

   She was in his arms and out of the room with a swoop of arms. Alec shielded her eyes from witchlight that glared throughout the hall. They flickered brighter when Bay was in the hall than when it had just been him. He knew what this meant. He had been skeptical at first–– who would ever accuse their seven year old daughter of this?–– but he could feel power escaping through her shaking arms and the way her body curled in on itself, clinging desperately to the heat inside her that had become too intense and was escaping. He had heard of many men who had died from the little energy left after they induced so much power into themselves. Bay was a child.

   Alec met Sarah on the final level. Alec did not stop, continuing his descent at the same pace. Sarah stepped in line behind him. Her presence was reassuring to the blue-eyed man, as he pushed his way out the door and into the street.

   Before Sarah could ask, Alec told her, "Bay's high on demon energies. Where's the nearest infirmary?"

   "Follow me." He could hear something in her voice that differed from his own as she past the pair, leading him to where the city became less dense. 

o.O.o

   The nurses and doctor came in the room intermittently. Though nothing compared to the onslaught of medical persons when Bay had been admitted. Alec had been right in guessing that Bay didn't have much time left before she went cold. A Silent Brother stabilized her before all energy left her small frame.

   Alec petted her hand, head bowed in the weight of troubling thoughts. His daughter had been on a regular dosing of powerful demon drugs. Every protective, fatherly part of him had screamed to lash-out at Sarah for not noticing. How could she not? How had he missed it? With Bay there were unexplained phenomena that happened–– her eyes for one, or when she had gotten angry a small stone bench crumbled near her. Could these things be explained by Magnus' power dominating over an already dominant Nephilim gene? No child had ever come from a couple such as theirs.

   Bay kicked at her sheets, alerting Alec from his unfocused stare. 

   "I'm in a hospital."

   Her voice held no question, but Alec felt obligated to agree, "Yes, you are."

   "How long have I been sleeping?"

   He could easily check the wall clock for the time, but he refused to look away from his daughter, who was attempting to sit up. The elder nephilim eased her back down by her shoulders, giving her a look that that was parental in nature and told her rest. He again took her hand.

   "Not long enough." Alec debated his next words. Bay was blinking slowly, fighting the sleep she needed, but Alec had to know what she knew about what she was taking and for how long. "Do you know why you're here?"

   Bay also seemed to be elsewhere in thought for it was some time before she replied. "I did something. A Silent Brother was here. Why?"

   Alec smoothed the creases in her forehead with the pad of his thumb. Bay was becoming worked up. He knew he had gone too far, but he couldn't stop questions from becoming asked. "Do you know what demon pox is?"

   She was truthful when answering, "No."

   "Well, you were taking medication for it. And highly concentrated at that."

    A realized expression turned horrified. Bay looked around frantically. "Where's Sarah? Does she know?"

   "Sarah went back home for a while. And, no, she did not know," Alec said, his voice turning cold. Sarah had left once the Silent Brothers had left and Bay was stable. Sarah had most certainly not known. She left the room in a controlled rage, promising to be back once she had calmed. That was a couple hours ago.

   "She wasn't supposed to find out," Bay whispered, sinking into the sheets. "I was supposed to keep it a secret."

   "Who told you to keep it a secret?" Alec asked, though only for confirmation. He could figure who the man to make a child dose herself with medication was.

   "Mr. Phineas," she answered. Reverting back to the previous topic, Bay asked, "Is Sarah packing? Will she be back soon?"

   Alec paused his task of pulling the covers over her shoulders half finished. He let them drop over her shoulder blades after a moment. "Why would Sarah be packing?"

   "She's leaving in two days," the girl said, in a tone that didn't want to repeat the obvious. However, she noticed Alec's look of confusion and matched it with one of her own. "Oxford university offered her a job. She's leaving Wednesday."

   "Wednesday is tomorrow," Alec blurted, having nothing better say. He thought it wise not to take out his frustrations with Sarah on a sleepy, little girl. "It's early tuesday morning."

   Bay hummed in response, her eyelids slipping shut. She mumbled, "May I go home soon?"

   Alec kissed the top of her head. "As soon as possible," he said, but Bay had fallen asleep.

o.O.o

   "Are you sure there's nothing more you want to bring?" Sarah asked, wiping away tears from Bay's eyes. She wisely did not comment as she, too, was holding back tears.

   Bay shook her head quickly. "I have everything I want," she said, eyeing the guard standing by the portal with suspicion. Alec stood not far away, but was giving both girls a last moment together before Sarah would step through the portal. Her destination: Oxford, England. "Father said we'll go shopping for clothes and other things."

   The previous night when Bay had felt well enough to join in the frantic packing, Magnus called. Alec left the kitchen, where he had been helping wrap dishes for Peter's mom to pick-up after they had gone. He must have told Magnus of Bay's hospitalization. When he came back into the room, the phone was held in his hand and pointed at her. She was told to talk to her father in her room.

 Bay didn't know so much emotion could be proclaimed through radio waves in the air. Magnus went into intricate detail about what the next week would bring. When her body started to detox itself from the medication, what the medication was actually used (what she had been taking was medication for a disease humans caught from demons), and the unfamiliar spells that he would preform on her so that her detoxing wouldn't upset the chemo meds. Magnus went on to tell her how much energy and the cost of items needed to heal her would take. How it was unhealthy for not only Bay, but the twins, and Magnus because the amount of power that will be passed through them. He did not stop there.

   The fact that she hurt Alec with a temper tantrum in the beginning, and the irresponsibleness it was that she took two doseings in one day was discussed. The scolding continued to a point where she wanted to cry, _I'm sorry I know It's my fault_ , but that would not do. Instead she chose another option.

   "I _hate_ you!"

   The silence on the other end was almost as unbearable as a scream. Bay continued:

   "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have to take that demon drug! My eyes would be _normal_! Did you know that I never turned on the lights in here because talking to you would set my eyes off, and I'd be in pain. Because they hurt! I wish I was a hundred percent nephilim, but I'm half you. I don't know if I'll ever be able to bear runes, and if I can never bear runes I will never be a shadowhunter. I'll be too weak. I'll be a bigger outcast than I already am. But I guess it doesn't matter because I'll be dead before I'm old enough to have the ceremony."

   Bay, breathing heavily, gripped the phone tight in her hand, wanting desperately for it to break. If it broke she wouldn't have to hear an angry Magnus ripping apart her confession.

   Instead he audibly sighed, "I love you."

   "Don't tell me that," Bay deflected.

   "I wasn't. I was trying to remind myself." For some reason those words hurt more than what was to come. "Before you were born I had hoped you would become more like your dad. Even in my fantasies that you were alive and well, I tried to imagine you with his strength and kindness, but it seems you've become me. Can I tell you a secret?"

   Treacherously, Bay's ears perked up. She sounded more eager than hoped when she answered, "Yes."

   "When your age, I hated my eyes more than you dislike your's now."

   "I doubt more," Bay said stubbornly. 

   Magnus laughed softly. To Bay it sounded a bit sad. "You have people who love you. I didn't."

   The warlock didn't go into more detail, no matter how many times Bay tried to trick him into saying something more on the matter. Her respect toward him was earned throughout the rest of their conversation. Magnus told her about life in New York, and how she would become apart of it. He also had gotten his bone marrow checked and was discovered as a match. Magnus earned the title Father.

   Alec took the notebook Sarah handed to him, which held information of her medicinal needs, and possible allergies, and the like. Bay watched them say their good-byes, distinguish whose bags were whose, and say good-bye once more. It was then Bay's turn. Sarah gave her one last hug and kiss with a promise of Hanukkah in Oxford before she was gone.

   Alec hugged her close to his side.Bay accepted the comfort, but realization hadn't set in. She knew in her heart and mind the Sarah left, but her body had yet to respond. At least she knew the comfort would be there when the rest of her needed it.

   He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Are you ready to go home?"

   Bay looked up at him–– open and smiling, thought still sad for her loss. "I'm ready," she told her dad, tugging him along. "Father's waiting."

o.O.o


	22. Chapter 22

   Magnus grinned down at his spouse as Alec trudged a few steps behind, carrying the load of Bay's bags, matching his grin tooth for tooth.

   "Is there any reason you can't help," he asked with a huff.

   "Because I'm carrying a different type of luggage. Your luggage, I might add."

   Bay tugged on Magnus' arm. He looked down at his daughter, where she was slightly behind his long-legged pace and trying to keep up, her hand in his.

   "But I'm carrying dad's bag," Bay said, confused. She was correct. Alec's duffle was slung over her shoulder, an added weight in her climb to the apartment door.

   Magnus felt an almost familiar swelling in his chest as he often did when Alec was oblivious to what people said around him. Only this feeling held a fragile tenderness. One not familiar to him. He squeezed her hand, and offered a smile. "You're right. You are carrying your Dad's bag. We were trying to be funny. By luggage we mean the twins."

   Once on the short landing, Bay gave him a look. "How is that funny?"

   Alec stepped behind her. "You'll get it when you're older." He gestured for Magnus to get on with it and open the door.

   The lock was undone, and door swung open without the help of hands. Magnus observed his daughter as their home was unveiled to her. Her expression was curious as she inched inside. The decor was a simplistically modern choice to acclimate Bay to his changing tastes. 

   "Your house is huge," Bay discerned, straight-faced. Magnus could see on her face how out of place she was feeling. 

   He was grateful when Alec pushed her through the threshold. "Go on and explore," the elder nephilim said. "I'm sure you'll find a bunch of interesting things." He paused for a moment. "If it looks too interesting and like it should have been put away than do _not_ touch it."

   Magnus shut the door after his husband, who was carrying Bay's bags to her room. He followed far behind as Bay walked in a straight line, her head moving side to side scanning the surrounding area.

   "You have a piano?" Bay asked in amazement, a hand laid on the Pièce de résistance sat center of the room. She walked around the baby grand, glazing her fingertips across dark mahogany. Glancing at Magnus, Bay dropped Alec's bag, and sat on the bench. Her eyes sought for permission. 

   Magnus smiled approvingly. "Consider this a birthday present for the last seven years," he said, standing beside her. "No, it's the last six years. I gave you a gift on your first birthday."

   The piano keys dipped under the pressure put upon them by little fingers. Staccato notes poked at the air in the vast room. Her ankles rubbed together considering. "Did you make my anklet?"

   "Possibly. What does it look like?" he baited. She shifted so her leg lay in-between them, and rolled up her jeans. Reflections from the numerous lights cast spots across the tiny emeralds, dangling from the chain. Magnus fingered the latch and unhooked it deftly. Bay started, watching her oldest possession dangle from his hand. 

   "Did you know both Alec and I can unlatch it? Or did you think only you could?" Cupped in his hands, Bay's name laid above the chain and gems.

   The girl didn't answer.

   "I suppose Sarah gave you her last name."

   "No," Bay said, taking her anklet back. After locking it she sat properly, and stretched her fingers across the keys, Mozart's Minuet in G ready at the waiting. "I don't have one."

   Magnus raised his eyebrows. "None at all? Sarah never gave you one?"

   "She got my first name from my anklet, and Mr. Phineas didn't see the need in anything more than that." She looked at him, taking in his spiked hair, dark green jeans, and white t-shirt. He had dressed more conservatively than the first time she met him. It was all a game of getting Bay used to a new life style. 

   "Bay Honors Lightwood," Magnus hummed. "Since you were wondering."

   The young pianist stared at the ivory. "Thank-you," she breathed.

   Alec returned with take-out menus spread like a deck of cards in his hand. Passing by, he kissed the top of his daughter's head. "What would you like for dinner, Bay?" asked Alec, wrapping an arm around Magnus' waist. "And remember, I have a list of what you aren't allowed to eat."

 

o.O.o

   Dinner was an unusual affair. Magnus talked, Alec nodded, and Bay listened. Topics of her unborn siblings were thrown around the table and over turkey subs. Many times she pretended not to be paying attention when she was clearly supposed to remark to the conversation. Bay did not like the thought of two more people–– not even that, more like fleshy creatures–– making a place in her new home come this December. She had to get used to this apartment. They would know no other home.

   Another simpler topic was preparations for her welcome home party, which was to be held at the institute tomorrow. The whole of Alec's family were to formally meet her, excluding her grandfather, whom she had met briefly while still in Idris. It was unsettling how quickly she was being introduced to her family. Names and appearances and familial relations were told to her in between bites. She had many new persons to meet.

   After the meal, Alec cleaned off the table, leaving Magnus and Bay alone. 

   "Would you like to explore your room, now?" he asked, mischief in the upturn of his lips.

   Bay attempted returning the expression, but lacked conviction.  

   Magnus lead her by the hand out of the large, open room and into the hallway. Bay's room was the closest door on the left. Inside was barely more than an oak bed, a nightstand, a dresser, and a desk, surrounded by walls of a tangerine color. Flickering lights from the city beyond the window cast through white, lacy curtains like sprinkles across her bags laid closed across the bed.

   Bay let go of her father's hand and wondered into the dark. 

   "Your dad told me about the glow-in-the-dark stars you had glued to your old bedroom's ceiling," he said, close behind. How he talked about her home in the past tense left an odd feeling in her chest. She believed it was called homesickness. "When this room was your nursery I had done the same."

   Magnus placed his hand on the small of her back. Bay looked up at him. From so close he towered over her like the glass towers in Alicante.

   "Lie down," he told her.

   She asked, "Why?"

   "Because I told you so." He lied down on carpeted floor, his head laid on his hands. Bay mimicked him and placed herself that their elbows touched. Little plastic stars spanned across the ceiling, and Bay wondered how she hadn't noticed it when she first walked in. 

   "Apollo is off slightly. He should––"

   Magnus hushed her with a simple instruction to concentrate. Bay did as told, and stared unblinkingly. In time that seemed to morph with vision, the plastic stars changed shape and new stars appeared, spanning upward, creating three dimensional space. She had to wonder if this was accurate because she knew where the stars above Idris spanned, but only in the outermost forest could you see this many. The location was different as well. The stars over New York were at a different angle.

   "This is the first sky you fell asleep under." There was something in Magnus' voice that Bay almost recognized. To her it sounded like Sarah when telling her of when she was a baby, but from beside her the tone held more weight, intensity. Part of her wanted to turn her head and see what the heaviness of his voice did to his similar face. The other didn't want to blink lest the vision pass away. "I never find it a good idea to question one's size compared to the universe, but under the stars and in my arms you were so small. Still are."

   Bay huffed.

   "I'd hoped you would like it," he said, and somehow Bay understood him.

   "I do. How did you come up with this?"

   Magnus shuffled closer, so their hips were touching, Bay's head near his chest. "When I was your age I used to love looking at the stars."

   "No. I meant, how did you do it? Will you teach me?"

   "Your dad wouldn't appreciate it if I did," he sighed.

   Bay looked up at him, and his gaze met hers. She wondered if he'd been watching her the entire time. "Why not?"

   "Because he wants you to be a shadowhunter like him. He doesn't very much like magic, truthfully. He mostly just likes me."

   The girls eyes turned sad. "I won't be able to do magic after Monday."

   It took Magnus a moment to find realization. "You think that drug was the only thing that gave you power?"

   "It's the only thing that worked me up enough to cause mayhem."

   Magnus let the beginnings of a grin form, but it didn't last more than a moment. "I will tell you one thing. I had a small part in inventing a portal."

   "Portals have been around for a _long_ time," she said, spacing her hands above them to indicate how long ago it was. "I thing you're lying because you would have to be very, _very_ old."

   This time Magnus did laugh, and continued to do so as Alec entered the room with a cup of water and a couple pills in either hand. "You're supposed to take these after dinner," he said, turning on the lights before kneeling by the pair.

   Bay sat up and put the pills in her mouth before accepting the water. The bitter taste of medicine lingered. Alec's arms were around her, lifting her so she stood.

   "We have time to get out some of your things," Alec said. Magnus stood with the help of Alec. "But sleep is more important."

   Bay groaned in protest.

 

o.O.o

   Of the items emptied from her luggage, a collection of Russian fairy tales was nestled in her father's hands, as he read aloud to her, mimicking the accents almost to perfection. The girl's clothes were folded in drawers or hung in the closet. Her violin lay on her desk surrounded by other books, a hair brush, music sheets, and pencils with Idris University's logo printed on them. Alec stood by the bed, hand on the the head board, paying more attention to her than Magnus' voice. 

   When the warlock was finished, Bay murmured, "Was that one true?" At the end of each story Sarah would tell her if the account was accurate. Rarely was there much make-believe in fairy tales.

   "I'm sure the meaning behind it is true," Magnus replied.

   Bay closed her eyes. She was tucked-in too tightly and would have to loosen the blankets after they left. "That's not an answer."

   This time Alec spoke. With a kiss to her forehead, he said, "You'll just have to find out on your own."

   She heard Magnus shut the book and place in on the bedside table. He had been uneasy since Bay had curled into bed. That's why she had suggested a story. It wasn't a regular part of her bed-time routine, but she thought it would calm her father.

   "I'm not sleepy," she insisted, simply to make them stay longer.

   Magnus said, "The sooner you go to sleep the sooner you'll wake-up. We'll have eggs and bacon for breakfast."

   "Do you mean turkey bacon?"

   "No, I meant that fatty stuff that comes from a pig."

   Bay opened her eyes and looked at him funny. "I'm Jewish. I can't have pork."

   Magnus looked as if he hadn't been aware of this fact until then. He smiled too sweetly; not at Bay, but at Alec. "Funny. That was never mentioned before."

   Bay feared she had done something wrong. Maybe her father had heard the quick intake of breath for he looked at her sharply. He knelt down by her head, brushing away little hairs from her forehead.

   "Did I seem annoyed?"

   Bay's suspicious stare was answer enough.

   "I'm sorry. There is nothing wrong with that. We'll simply have eggs and pancakes."

   "Gluten free," she reminded him. She smiled at Alec. "Goodnight, dad."

   He petted her leg. "Goodnight, Bay."

    "Don't hesitate to come get us if you want us," her father instructed, placing a kiss on the same spot Alec had. The lights were turned off and the door shut.

 

o.O.o

   The institute was as imposing on the inside as it was out. Bay had been told that institutes were like miniature versions of Alicante. A home away from home. Walking through the halls toward the banquet hall was like navigating a maze. Held by her hand to her dad, Bay saw into open doors where weapons were stacked against walls on racks. It was calming.

   Before they made it to where the party was being held a young woman, who could be no less than Alec's sister, exited though double doors. The sound of other voices echoed behind her. Her voice was pleasant, but condescending when she spoke. "Alexander Lightwood, you're late."

   "Fashionably late," Magnus assured.

    She noticeably rolled her eyes in a way that reminded Bay of her dad. "Do you think that you could have shown up sooner? I'm getting very impatient to meet my niece."

   Bay's heart was beating loudly in her chest as she was walked forward. She didn't want to disappoint Alec by not acting like herself, but she didn't want her aunt to dislike her because she was different. In the same way people like avoid change they avoid different.

   "I'm not going to attack you with hugs and kisses. So stop looking so nervous."

   Bay turned indignant. "I am not nervous!"

   "And I'm not truthful." Isabelle's arms wrapped around the girl, then pulled her back to look at her, then hugged her again. "You don't look a thing like a Lightwood, but you sure as hell act like one." 

   "Isabelle," Alec scolded at her choice of phrasing.

   Izzy pulled back once more, keeping both their hands connected. "I guess you already know that you look older since the last time I saw you."

   Wisely, Bay stayed silent.

   "But I feel like I should say something aunt like. Maybe I should pinch your cheeks."

   "Please, don't."

   Isabelle grinned. "Come-on. You have family waiting." She directed Bay to the doors, her green skirt billowing as she moved. Bay hadn't been forced to wear a dress. Instead she wore a long light pink sweater, and blue leggings, her hair in the best attempt at a French braid Magnus could make.

   Standing just outside the doors, she recognized some of the faces that turned to look at her. Under the domed ceiling was a dinner set across the span of a long table, where many members were sitting. Jace said something in Latin, but Bay didn't comprehend him. Her mind was caught up in a whirlwind of perturbation. Her heart was beating harder than it had previously. It was painful.

    Alec hand was on her back, rubbing circles. He whispered in her ear, "Just keep breathing." It was meant to be reassuring but he sounded unsure.

Suddenly, Jace was in front of her. He said, "She's having an anxiety attack," but it wasn't directed to her. He touched his fingers to her face, tentatively at first as if waiting to be pushed away, before cupping her cheeks fully. She was unsteady in his hands. Jace's attention was on her. "You're having an anxiety attack," he repeated. "Do you know what that is?"

   Bay jerked her head once in an attempt to answer yes.

   "Have you ever had one before?"

   Another jerk. 

   His concern was diluted with understanding. "Are there too many people here?"

  In the back of her mind, where rationalism was over-powered by some nameless force, she knew that there couldn't be more than ten people in the massive room. Was there too many? She didn't know. She tried to communicate that, but found she couldn't. Bay started choking on air. 

   Jace tapped her chest once. "It hurts, doesn't it? You don't need to let it continue. Magnus can calm you down with magic the first second you ask. He's even rearing to do it, but you can do it yourself. There are runes that will be able to calm you when you're older. You can't have them now, but try to imagine this with me."

   He let go of her face, and rolled up one of her sleeves. The blond held her arm with one hand and placed a finger on her forearm. "Runes burn when you draw them on." He stuck his nail into the pale flesh, dragging it down in an arch, forming shapes. "The pain is grounding, like a precursor of what's to come. The rune will begin to fade, and you'll feel your chest loosen." With his thumb and pointer finger on the top of her breast bone, he slowly widened the distance of his fingers, repeating the movement a little faster each time.

   A couple minutes went by before Bay felt calm enough to speak. "Thank-you. How did you know to do that?" 

   Jace's smile was rueful. "When I thought my dad had died, I would get them when I was young. Why did you have them?"

   "The last time I stopped taking my drug I had them," she said plainly.

    Magnus brought her to him, and said to Jace, "We're taking her off a drug she shouldn't have been on."

    Jace looked at Alec.

    He shrugged. "I'll tell you later," Alec promised. He took Bay's hand. "Would you like to go inside? You don't have to if you don't want to."

   Bay shook her head. "That's not nice. I should stay because they came here first. It wouldn't be fair," she babbled. Turning to her uncle, she asked, "What did you say in Latin, earlier?"

   The blond smirked. "The damsel is in distress."

 

o.O.o

   When Bay woke late Tuesday evening, Alec was holding her in his arms, while in his bed. She idly wondered how she had gotten there when she had fallen asleep in her bed. She was dressed in a nightgown different from the clothes she wore earlier, and Alec smelled of sulfur and leather and sandalwood. His scent was comforting enough to send her back to sleep.

   Bay was still in his arms when she became conscious again, and with consciousness came an awareness of the pain in her head. The need for something to fix it even greater. Alec grabbed her hand from where it had been scratching her arm. Funny enough, she hadn't known she'd been scratching at her skin so hard. Her forearm was red, and welting in lines. Alec lifted her arms to his lips, in attempt to make it better. 

   "How are your dreams?"

   Bay didn't say anything. She didn't want to tell him that in her dreams she had been kicked out because, with the birth of the twins, there were too many people in the apartment. Alec and Magnus had chosen to kick her out instead of the cat. 

   "You really dislike them that much?" Alec's tone was sad. Evidently she had voiced her thoughts out loud.

   "I'll never know you like they will." Bay didn't know why she said that. "My head hurts."

   "I'm sorry," he said. She didn't know to which he was referring.

   "When will I feel better?"

   "Soon."

   Bay felt a tickling under her bare feet. In instinct she kicked out. A cat's yowl stung her ears, as the offended creature ran across the bed and out the door. Bay closed her eyes.

 

o.O.o

   With December came cold wind from the Hudson River. Magnus tucked his scarf into his jacket, breathing out the pain after his sides finished cramping. He was sitting on a park bench watching Bay and Jacob climb across the swings. By imagination, the ground was covered in demons. Bay was first to make to the end, and smiled at Magnus, who gave her smile in return. Jacob soon caught up, causing a problem as to who was going to fall off first. Jacob adjusted his grip, and pinched Bay's hand underneath his. She dropped to the ground.

   "You killed me!"

   "It's not my fault you fell!"

   "Because you pushed me!"

   "I couldn't have pushed you. My hands were holding on."

   Neither child was very fond of the other, but Bay needed to get out of the house. That's why he was suffering in the cold. After Bay had recovered from withdrawal he had noticed a change in her demeanor. She may have been upset with the boy, but her words lacked the harshness Magnus detested. It seemed that with the drug out of her system, she was less agitated, and smiled more frequently.

   A downside he also noticed was that Bay tired easily. Like now. Jacob and her ran across the jungle gym like a course. Bay was falling behind. The red in her cheeks wasn't simply from the cold. He called out for her to take it easy, though he figured she would just ignore him. Stubborn as her dad.

   Magnus felt the twins shift, followed by another cramp that left him panting. He felt too hot, suddenly, when earlier he was near shivering. He tried to pay attention to the children, if anything, simply to distract him from the pain that wasn't leaving as soon as the others. He was warned that if even the slightest idea that he was in labor occurred that he was supposed to be checking in to the hospital. Magnus pulled out his phone.

   _2 contractions approx 20 minutes apart. What do you want to do?_

Alec replied quickly. _Are you still at the park?_

   Jacob and Bay were back to climbing the swing set. _Yes._

   _Text me if it happens again, and I'll take j home._

   Magnus waited quietly. He was nearing his due date, and it wouldn't be surprising if they were arriving.

   _It's time._

 

o.O.o

   Alec watched as Bay sat down on a hospital bed, and a nurse handed her the first born twin. Bay held the pink blanket around the baby the way the nurse had shown her. Bay didn't smile when she looked down, but she didn't frown either.

   "How does she feel in your arms?" Alec whispered over the other twin girl. 

   "Kinda heavy," she whispered back. "Is she supposed to be this red?"

   He smiled. "Yes."

   "Is Madeline just as red?"

   It was the first time her name had been said aloud.

   "Yes."

   "Oh."

   Bay looked at Magnus, who was asleep next to her on the bed. She likely wouldn't admit it, but Alec knew Bay had been worried went they dropped her off with Jace yesterday evening. It was wiser to keep Bay with his parabatai for a few hours than to make her wait in the hospital, while Magnus was being prepped for a cesarean. It wasn't until the surgery that his family had come. Bay, along with others, met the newest members of the family–– Alexis Viola and Madeline Isabelle–– the first minute the 'okay' was give.

   That had been five in the morning. After briefly returning to her Uncle's place for well needed rest, Bay returned nearing lunch. It was the first time all five of them were together alone. It would be the only time Alec felt peace in a hospital room.

   "I love you, Bay."

   "I love you, too, Daddy."

   The peace didn't last. Alexis began fussing, and Bay started to push her away, a look of terror on her face. Alec got out of his seat quickly. He held both infants in his arms, bouncing slightly. He sunk his face close to his second born. "I love you, Alexis. Don't cry."

   "May I hold Madeline?" Bay asked. Alec set her in Bay's arms. She said, "You don't need to cry because dad loves you."

   Alec never forgot it.

   Magnus woke-up half an hour later.

   Alec said, "I'm supposed to get a nurse when you wake-up."

   "Please don't." The warlock shifted so he was better facing Bay, who did the same. Alec didn't miss the little headcount Magnus made.

   "This is why I like home births." He was rubbing away sleep from his eyes. "You don't get woken-up every other hour."

   Smiling fondly, Alec delivered Alexis and a kiss to Magnus. "I'm going to get the nurse," Alec said, leaving the room.

   "How are you feeling now that they're here?" Magnus asked.

   Bay shrugged. "Am I supposed to feel different?"

   "I don't know." He changed the topic. "You excited for the next couple of weeks? Hanukkah is coming soon, which means a whole week in England."

   "Hanukkah is eight days."

   "Yes, but you have chemo on the first day."

   Bay groaned.

   Magnus smiled sadly at her, but his eyes were hopeful. "It will be the last treatment before your bone marrow transplant."

   "The doctor says It's going to feel really bad. Worse than the last time."

   "Yes, but afterward you'll soon be better," he said, touching her cheek.

   She reminded him, "It doesn't always work."

   "It may. And I want you to get your hopes up really high, this time. So when you're sick inside an Oxford apartment with Sarah taking care of you, you'll know on that last night there that the next day you'll get better. I know you will, because we need you."

   "You do?"

   "Yeah."

   Magnus became cheerful. "Go put Maddy in her crib–– quickly! Now take Alexis, and sit where you were."

   Bay did as she was told, and grinned at her father, who was covering himself in blankets. He was pretending to be asleep.

   "Don't tell your dad I'm awake," he whispered.

   "He won't like that," she laughed, squtching

   "Shush. I'm sleeping."

 

o.O.o

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN–– And I shall end it here.
> 
> Thank-you for seeing glimpses of my writing journey.
> 
> Victoria


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